Across the Ocean
by Onesie Queen
Summary: It was said to be a legendary gem. One that pirates were desperate to find. Father said that the gem was long lost. Mother said that it was hoax. I thought it was an adventure just waiting to happen. So what better way to start this adventure by sneaking onto the world's most notorious pirate ship?
1. Chapter 1

**First story! Please enjoy! :)**

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 _"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever."_ -Jacques Cousteau

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I grew up with the ocean.

I grew up with the waves. The noisy calls of the seagulls. The salty tang of seawater. The constant disgusting smell of fish that never washed away. Raging storms that shook the very harbor and make the waves growl and roll. Beautiful sunny days that made the water sparkle like diamonds and revealed all the fish that swam about. And after living so close to the ocean for most of my existence and experiencing firsthand the terrors and the beauty it could bring, I was unfazed by any changes the ocean could throw at me. I became accustomed to it. It was a whole other world compared to living inland.

But just like any other place, the ocean, too, had its secrets.

I wasn't as daft as the locals would like to believe me to be. I may be a newcomer to their home and definitely on the younger side, but that doesn't mean they can underestimate my intelligence. Honestly, they should know better to talk about such things around even a child. Even a child will remember certain details when something being said incites their undivided attention. And unfortunately for these people, they had my full attention from that day onward.

My parents thrived on mysteries. Especially ones that bespoke of legends that were lost to all of humanity. They loved the secrecy and the thrill of something being _lost forever._ Now, don't get me wrong. My parents were in no way treasure hunters or even mercenaries. They both were honest to goodness plain adults. _Painfully plain._ My Father was a Business man who could practically talk his way in or out of every situation and Mother was a Merchant who sold homemade jewelry that was quite popular with women for special occasions. They didn't make any effort to stick out to people or businesses and that's the way they liked it. Staying under the radar, but being known enough as being hard workers and being recognized for their efforts when necessary.

I wouldn't say that my parents were nosy by any means. They gave me quite a bit privacy to do my own thing and they hardly ever questioned most of what I did. ( _Cause honestly, what kind of trouble could a child get into in a discreet, out of the way town like this?)_ But both of my parents couldn't resist hearing a good story. Especially when it is centered around the aforementioned treasure.

It was through them that I learned about the Bijuu Gem.

Bijuu. Nine Demons scattered across the world, sealed within containers or humans known as Jinchuuriki. All of them exceedingly powerful, from the One-Tailed Tanuki to the Nine-Tailed Kitsune. And also a dangerous weapon when held by the wrong hands. The Bijuu gem was said to be the source of their power. It could control _all of them._ The thrall of the gem was so strong, it was almost physically impossible for the Bijuu to resist its charm once the holder makes a decision. In the wrong hands, that was just asking for a complete Dictatorship over the entire world. Even in the right hands, the holder would still be corrupted just from possessing such a jewel. It was coveted by many. Especially the pirates.

Hearing that word just makes shivers cascade down my whole spine. Their deeds and dealings are very well known in this area and it would be a strange day where I don't hear at least one person muttering about pirates roaming about and causing trouble for the shipping companies and their cargo. The people here have a particular favorite they like to follow, though they haven't been given a name regarding this group. They weave tales of a ship made of black wood and was as grand and majestic as the Daimyo's, strange fog following in its wake and covering its tracks as it makes off with precious gold and jewels that would make any merchant drool on the spot. There are only a handful of individuals that run the ship by those that have lived through their attack to tell of it, but not much hardcore facts about what they looked like.

Hell, for all we knew, they could be living amongst us in this town, but I digress. These people are nosy and seem to know everyone and their business. At this point, I'd find it weird if they couldn't spot a pirate in their midst.

But back to the point. I learned about the Bijuu Gem from my parents and their shameless snooping, though they would give me very offended looks if I said it like that. "We aren't _snooping,_ dear," Mother would say indignantly. "Our coworkers are very loud people. It's practically impossible to ignore them when they are making so much noise for anybody to hear."

I'd always been an adventurous kid. The idea of actually _finding_ the Bijuu Gem when all the other world-known explorers and pirates couldn't was _exciting_ to me. My parents certainly didn't share my enthusiasm when I accidently let it slip one day about my hopes to go searching for it.

"Sakura, the Bijuu Gem doesn't even _exist,_ " Father would say, trying to sway me. "It's simply a fairytale that people around here like to spread around. Such a thing couldn't possibly exist in this world. That much power would cause such devastation and ruin to the world!"

I didn't believe him one bit. In fact, I frowned and gave him a reproaching look every time he brought it up. I found it slightly hypocritical of him to gasp and practically _shine_ whenever the Bijuu Gem was brought up, but then turn around and criticize me for wanting to do what I knew he wanted to do, too. He was just as fascinated as I was.

Mother was even worse.

She always snorted in the beginning. "The Bijuu Gem? Why on Earth would you even want to go looking for something that doesn't even exist? That's such a huge waste of your life, Sakura. You could be doing more important things like doing your homework and going further with your education as a Doctor. You still want to be a Doctor, right? Isn't that your lifelong dream? You won't become a Doctor if you spend all your time looking for some... _hoax_ like the Bijuu Gem."

I've always wanted to be a Doctor, even when I was a child. I'm honestly not even sure where the dream even stemmed from, though I was given my first clue only recently. My Mother once told me that I had been gravely ill one Spring after my birthday from the spreading of the flu. I vaguely recall the hacking coughs and the burning pain in my lungs every time I tried to breath deeply. It was a horrible time where medicine sucked and I just wasn't getting better as the days went on. If I think hard enough, I can remember a blond woman showing up one night with the most beautiful of hazel-brown eyes and forcing the most bitter tasting liquid down my throat, saying that it would cure me. Lo and behold, I was up and running around outside by dawn and the lady no where to be found. I never found out her name and she never made another appearance in the village as far as I was concerned. I was severely disappointed to say the least, but that didn't stop me from going after my new goal of becoming a Doctor.

After that, I was just fascinated with anything medicine or medical, helping my mother in the clinic as often as possible and watching her take care of the patients that came and went that day. Father was even nice enough to get me my own First-Aid Kit for one of my birthdays a couple years ago. I still treasure that perfect little white box even after it has served its purpose and now lies empty upon my dresser in my room.

Becoming a Doctor was definitely on my to-do list in my life. I never answered my Mother when she would ask me those questions since she always shooed me away to go do something more productive, but I would never tell her that becoming a Doctor and going on an exploration for the Bijuu Gem were closely tied as my top priority in the near future. She would damn well kill me and dance on my grave if I even breathed a hint of such treacherous thoughts around her. Father wouldn't even be able to protect me from my Mother's wrath.

There was only a few things stopping me from leaving the house and becoming independent. One of them, unfortunately being the most important one, is my age.

Being thirteen years old definitely put a dent in my credibility and appearance as someone being potentially responsible. I couldn't even go to the market and fetch my Mother her weekly groceries without being given weird looks. It was as if these people weren't accustomed to seeing a child actually helping around the house. It irked me terribly that people always asked what I was doing wandering around without my parents nearby. I was almost fourteen, damn it. I didn't need my Mother or Father to hover over my shoulder while I bought their _groceries._ I mentally scoffed at that. Simpletons.

I almost couldn't believe that I was almost fourteen. March was rolling in here in three months and winter was definitely beginning to settle in this area. The air was bitingly cold and my poor plants were dying faster than I could care for them. The clouds were dark and foreboding, the sea mimicking the dark clouds with harsh waves and dangerous rising tides. Fishing was out of the question for the next couple months, so I knew shop keepers here would be turning towards the mainland soon to help keep them going through the winter.

It's been eight years since I've lived in this house by the ocean. Eight years since I left my small hometown near the mountains and left all of my childish friends behind to grow up without me and me without them. It's almost so surreal to even think about. I was by no means an outcast here, but it was plainly obvious to me that I didn't really have any close friends like I did back home. I was okay with that. Most of the kids in my classes were brats anywhere and didn't deserve my friendship or kindness to begin with. It was no real loss to me, but my parents still sometimes pressure me into going out and finding another girl to talk to. I didn't miss how my Father encouraged me to find a girl friend and discouraged me to even look at boys.

I rolled my eyes. I could only imagine how he would react when I actually hit puberty. That was going to be a Hell of a road trip for everyone in the house.

I only had to wait four and a half more years. By then, I would be eighteen and there wouldn't be anything tying me to my parents. I would be an adult and they couldn't stop me from going on my adventure. Oh yes, I had every intentions of hunting for the Bijuu Gem. Even if everyone believed it to be a hoax, it would still be a great trip to go exploring the neighboring islands. I've honestly always wanted to go visit the Land of Fire and see for myself if the trees there are as tall as a mountain as some of the sailors have said to me.

Little did I know, my little adventure was unfortunately going to be starting _a lot_ more earlier than what I had originally planned. And it wouldn't be under the best of conditions or companions.

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 _"Little Brat. You don't even know the half of what you've just gotten yourself into."_

 _"I'm fully aware of the situation I'm currently in, thanks. This is exactly how it was supposed to be played out from the very beginning."_

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 **ALL DONE. What'd you think?! Did you guys like it?! I had a lot of fun writing this! I literally feel like I did this in one sitting, but I'd be lying to myself. I just added many paragraphs over the past couple days.**

 **Question of the Chapter: Favorite Disney Movie. (I have every intentions of going on a Disney binge watching marathon next weekend for my birthday. I have no regrets about my decision.)**

 **Thanks for reading! Ciao!**

 **~OQ**


	2. Chapter 2

**HELLLLLOOOOOOOO!**

 **Thank you all for the positive feedback for this story! I'm glad you all like it so much! You guys are seriously great. You inspire me so much to write.**

 **Please enjoy~!**

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 _"You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather." -_ Pema Chodron

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It was raining today. Not like the drizzling baby rain that children liked to run outside and play in the puddles in. No, this was a downpour, thunder booming every few seconds and shaking the house slightly. It pelted harshly against the window that I was leaning against from my spot on the window seat, the glass cold as ice against my head. This was dangerous rain. The rain came down so strongly and thickly, my eyes couldn't even see past the road that my house was by. I could barely see the ocean, but I could definitely hear it. It was roaring and crashing against the beach and harbor in erratic, staccato beats.

"The ocean is angry today," Father commented from his recliner chair in the middle of the room. It was an early Monday morning in the middle of November, but one wouldn't have been able to tell since there was no sun and shadows to tell the time. Mother was lounging on the beige couch, black reading glasses on as she read one of her favorite books, _Pride and Prejudice._ Father was reading the daily newspaper, eyes lazily skimming over the words like he wasn't actually paying attention to what he was reading. A typical everyday morning.

Except for the fact that I was home and not at school. My parents were adamantly against me walking to school in this rain despite my protests. School was not important to them if my health was jeopardized.

"Today just feels like an angry day in general," I said idly. I grabbed a strand of my long ( _abnormal_ ) pink hair and twirled it absentmindedly through my fingers. By no means was I feeling angry. I wasn't an angry child, but I did feel _something._ Something about today was off. And it didn't feel like it was the rain that was putting me off.

"You both are crazy," Mother said bluntly, looking up from her book and giving us her sternest look. "It's just _raining._ It's nothing to be so overly superstitious about."

Mother never believed in things such as Fate or Destiny or anything of the supernatural kind. One might think that s _ecrets_ and _supernatural_ would tie in together, but in Haruno Mebuki's mind, the two were on completely opposite sides of the spectrum. She was too serious of a person to accept that Fate or supernatural creatures existed. She barely even believed in the Bijuu, even though there were pictures and rare books dedicated to the Tailed Beasts and their known Jinchuuriki. If she couldn't see it, then it didn't exist. Rather simple-minded and pigheaded, but to each his own.

Father let out a deep chuckle. "Oh come on, Mebuki, lighten up. We're not being that serious about it."

 _Maybe you aren't, but I certainly am._

Mother snorted derisively at us and turned back to her book.

Mother and Father had a very strange relationship. Haruno Kizashi and Haruno Mebuki were both _very_ different people. Complete polar opposites. Nobody could understand how their relationship has worked out for so long after having me. Kizashi was just so laid-back and happy-go-lucky all the time and Mebuki was serious and stern and just all around a hard woman. She wasn't submissive and liked to be independent, which I knew was off-putting for most men. What I realized with my Father was that he took it in stride and basically just let her do her own thing, which I knew was something my Mother enjoyed immensely. I came to realize quickly that they trusted each other immensely and that there was no need for secrets between them. They knew everything about each other and didn't question the other's motives or goals. They didn't always see eye-to-eye, but that never put their marriage in danger by no means.

Thunder boomed from outside.

I suddenly realized something.

"Mom, Dad, you two aren't going to work today, are you?" I asked, nervous to hear their answer.

The two chanced a look at each other. That was one thing I hated about their relationship. Their ability to communicate without saying anything.

"If the rain doesn't lighten up soon, then no, we won't be going anywhere today," Mother said decisively, Father nodding along with her. I sighed in relief. Father caught the sigh and gave a me a cheery grin.

"You worry too much, Sakura," He said. "We're not crazy enough to risk going outside in that storm."

"Says the one that tried going to work in the middle of a blizzard after the town called for a snow emergency and all work and school was cancelled until further notice," Mom retorted sharply. Father had the decency to look slightly ashamed. "Sakura has every right to question us, especially when her Father is quick to act without thinking." I smiled at that.

 _I know where I got that part of me from now._

"Sakura?" I straightened at the tone of Mother's voice. She arched an eyebrow and I swallowed when her gaze traveled up and down my form. "How long are you going to stay in your pajamas and that bedhead? It's almost 8:30." I blushed and quickly rose from my seat, hurrying towards the stairs. "Bring a brush down with you!" Mother called up to me. I let her know I heard her and took the stairs two at a time, reaching the top in no-time. Taking an immediate right, I opened the only door on this side of the hall.

My room was average, with the same white walls and bark brown carpeting as the rest of the house. My computer desk and vanity, both of which were a complete mess, were against the wall opposite of my bed, which was right by the door along with my dresser. The remaining wall had two glass sliding doors that opened up to a small circular balcony that overlooked our whole street and gave an amazing view of the ocean.

Opening my closet door, I shuffled through some of my outfits, ruling out quite a few of them due to the rain and the inevitable cold that would stick around today once it stopped. Deciding on a plain, but cute, red, blue, and black cuffed flannel and black skinny jeans, I quickly stripped and changed into the outfit, grabbing a pair of brown ankle boots with a slight heel and laces to go with the outfit. Snatching my hairbrush from my vanity and forgoing any make-up today, I walked back downstairs trying to brush through the worst of my tangles.

My hiss of pain made Mother look up and she sighed in amused exasperation, closing her book and putting it on the table. She uncrossed her legs and pointed to the spot in between them on the floor. "Sit."

I quickly sat between her legs on the floor, handing her the hairbrush when she reached for it. I relaxed way before she even began pulling the brush through my hair. Mother was so gentle when it came to brushing hair. She always brushed mine when I was little and even now, when I was thirteen and fully capable of taking care of my own hair, she still insisted on brushing it every once in awhile. I played with the frayed sleeves of my flannel as Mother brushed, wincing every once in a while when she caught a particularly stubborn knot. Soon enough, she was done and merely continued to run the brush through my long hair. Her fingers caressed the strands almost lovingly.

"Your hair is so beautiful, Sakura," She murmured, putting the brush down on the table and separating the strands into three sections. "I'm surprised you let it grow so long like this." I hummed, not really having a good answer as to why I kept my hair long other than I just liked it long and that I felt like I looked weird with short hair. My baby years were a horror every time I went back and visited them.

I looked up when she was done braiding my hair and my hand automatically reached back to grab the braid. I was pleasantly surprised when I felt the small, multiple strands of a fishtail. "I thought you didn't know how to fishtail." I looked back at Mother. She shrugged her shoulders.

"I have a lot of free-time after work when you're out wandering around. I practiced."

"On who?" I knew my Mother was not a person who could learn things just from reading about it. She had to do it a couple times herself to even get a basic grasp of whatever it was that she doing.

Father coughed. "I'll give you one guess." I looked at his semi-long hair despite his weird hairstyle and suddenly, it clicked. I couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled up my throat. Mother smiled triumphantly at her husband, pleased with my reaction.

Father tsked and folded up his newspaper, placing it on the small coffee table beside him. "Ha ha, laugh it up, you two. I can assure you that I'll get the last laugh eventually."

"You say that and it always ends in the same way every time you try; you failing and just proving my point."

Father merely grunted and stood from his chair. Stretching his no doubt sore back, he stalked his way up the stairs while rubbing the back of his neck in that sheepish way that only he could pull off. I could faintly see the red tint to his cheeks and I couldn't help but smile. My Father was such a good-natured person. He couldn't get mad at anybody, not even Mother when she was teasing ( _making fun of_ ) him. I turned back to Mother.

"What are your plans for today since you two aren't going to work?" I asked her, turning so that I could look at her from my spot on the floor.

She shrugged her shoulders and got up from her seat. I had to crane my neck all the back just so that I could maintain eye contact with her. "Hopefully if the rain slows down, you and I can make a trip into the market. I need to get some more thread to finish the bracelets I've been working on." Her face suddenly darkened and I swore that she was pouting. "And I need more sewing needles."

"Did you lose the ones you bought last week?"

Mother's fair complexion made it so easy to see the dark red blush coat her cheeks. "I didn't _lose_ them."

"Then what happened to them?"

"Stop pestering me with these questions, Sakura!" She exclaimed, flustered. I giggled slightly, pleased with my teasing. She began brushing off her shirt of imaginary dust and straightened up to her full height, slowly composing herself again. "Anyway, I'm going to go shower and get dressed. Hopefully by then, the rain will be more agreeable and we can make our trip to town relatively safely. Please find something to do other just sitting on the floor." That said, Mother gracefully left the room with a little more of her dignity in place.

Her words suddenly made me a whole lot more nervous than I honestly should've felt. I mean, for God's sakes. We were just going into town to get supplies for her business. Just like any other day! I slapped my cheeks and tried to think of more positive things, wincing at the sting in my hands and face. Nothing bad was going to happen today. Nothing. Not at all. But not even my attempt at positive thinking could stop the uneasy feeling in my gut from swirling viciously around and around in dizzying circles.

Climbing to my feet, I marched to the kitchen to make myself breakfast, thinking that maybe eating something will help calm my frayed nerves.

I quickly learned that not even eating could calm me down. That horrible, foreboding feeling stuck with me the whole time I sat in the kitchen looking outside the window and waited for my Mother to make her appearance after her shower.

 **.X.**

My earlier prediction had been right. It was very cold outside. Like, bitingly cold. The kind of cold that instantly made you want to turn around and walk right back into your house where at least it was warm and dry. I should've worn layers before leaving the house. At least I had the sense to throw on a sweatshirt.

I easily kept pace with Mother's hurried steps, somehow managing to stay underneath her umbrella as we speed-walked to the market. It wasn't raining as hard as it had been earlier, but it still came down in buckets. My shoes were already soaked from all the deep puddles I'd stepped in and mud was beginning to splash against the back of my jeans. I kept my hood up to stay marginally warmer than I felt.

Lightning flashed on the horizon.

"Hurry, Sakura," Mother said, speeding up her pace. I quickly adjusted to the change. "We need to beat the next wave that is coming." We hadn't watched any form of the weather channel today, but there was no doubt in her mind that there was going to be another torrential downpour coming within the next hour.

We reached the market within a couple minutes. As expected, there weren't that many stalls open today due to the weather and it was barren of the usual flow of people, but there were a few brave souls out that dared to best the weather for the few dedicated customers that always came by to buy their wares. I couldn't help the disappointment that flooded me when I saw that my favorite Dango stand wasn't up.

Mother gave me a push forward. "Go find shelter somewhere nearby," She ordered, eye-balling the stand to her left that sold her favorite type of thread. "I'll come find you when I'm done here. I'll be quick so we don't have to be out here for very long." Nodding my head, she left my side to go bargain with the owner of the stand, who already had a gleam of challenge in his eyes when he saw his favorite customer.

A cold gust of wind had me shivering from my head all the way down to my drenched boots. Shaking off the shiver, I looked around. Maybe one of the few stalls around her could keep me occupied for a bit until Mother was done with her business. Happy with that thought, I began walking around.

There definitely wasn't much to the stalls that were out that could catch a budding teenager's attention. It was mainly farm-grown food or antiques that were for collecting. Quite a few of the stalls were already packing up due to already having served their customers for the day or because the cold and rain were beginning to pick up again. I didn't hesitate to help the elderly stall owners who were struggling against the wind and cold. They thanked me greatly for the help and hurried to get inside their homes. A few offered me a place inside to warm up. I kindly rejected all the offers, saying that I was just waiting for my Mother.

After walking around for a few more minutes, I concluded that there weren't that many interesting wares out and turned around to go wait for my Mother, but out of the corner of my eye, I stopped. There was a slightly rickety stall tucked into the corner of a small building, looking like it would topple over if I so much as touched it. The wares had me interested immediately. Books.

"You're a brave soul to brave this weather, kid," The gruff man behind the stall rasped when I came to stand before him. His beard was brown ( _quickly turning a silver grey_ ) and his hair was flattened to his head with a copious amount of gel. The smell of firewood and smoke was strong around him and seemed to coat him like a layer of skin.

"So are you for setting up a book stall when it's raining like this," I retorted, making sure my voice was polite. I couldn't express how many times Mother had ripped into me for my tone of voice. Sometimes my sarcasm got the better of me and my words came out as degrading and rude.

He gave a grunt. "Gotta do business somehow."

I nodded, agreeing with him as I skimmed over the books. "Are all of these books relevant in some way or are they just collector's items?"

"They are not collector's items," He stated sharply. I jumped at the sharpness of his reply and looked up. His blue eyes were fierce and glinting dangerously. I suddenly felt nervous and frightened at the look he was giving me. "I would never do business with a customer that is just going to let these books wither away on a shelf, never to be read."

Well, great. I just pissed him off.

I chose my next words carefully. "My apologies. I didn't mean to offend you." He stared me down. My entire being was highly uncomfortable with his scrutinizing, my blood going as cold as the air around me at the coldness in his eyes. Not even my Mother could give me that look. As her child, I know I was prone to making her seriously angry, but she had _never_ given me such a look. A look that could _kill._ I was almost tempted to haul ass away from this man, but something in him shifted for he finally relaxed and slouched his straightened shoulders.

"They aren't all relevant, but there are a few that are a series together."

I literally just escaped his wrath by the skin of my teeth.

Turning my attention to the books so I wouldn't have to look into his sharp blue eyes anymore, I quickly became fascinated. Quite a few of them were documentaries about the beginning of the bigger villages, like Konoha and Suna. One was dedicated entirely to the Hokage of Konoha, which, after opening the first few pages, showed information and the backgrounds of the first four Hokage that have ruled the village. Something in me twitched at the _detail_ that was in this book, but I shoved it away as I closed the book. I was excited to see a book about all the Bijuu and some information about their past holders.

 _Maybe this book will have some information about the Bijuu Gem._

"I'd like this book."

He arched an eyebrow at my choice, but took the few bills I gave him and roughly handed me the book. I noticed how scarred his hands were and noticed the beginning of a black tattoo peaking out from under his long-sleeved shirt before he snatched his hand away and shooed me away. I tucked the book underneath my sweatshirt to protect it from the rain as I walked away.

 _What kind of business in this village could cause a man's hands to be so scarred?_

Unless he was a Blacksmith, which was understandable. That was a tough business to be a part of and wasn't taken lightly. I paused. We only had one Blacksmith and I knew him personally. That man wasn't him. He was some type of book merchant and I highly doubt he got those scars by getting paper cuts and wood cuts from setting up that old-looking stall.

Shaking my head, I tried to forget the man. He wasn't worth my curiosity. He was just a grumpy man who seemed to hate his job. Chancing a discreet glance behind me, I saw him gathering his things. He was leaving. I was almost tempted to follow him.

 _My nosiness is going to get me killed._

"Sakura." I froze just as I turned.

 _Saved by an Angel._

"We're leaving." Mother's voice was short and clipped. Just short of hurried. I blinked at her in confusion and noticed the white-knuckled grip she had around her umbrella. She hadn't bought the thread she'd wanted either.

"Is something wrong?" I asked. What could have possibly ruffled my Mother up so much that she was trying to leave so quickly without buying what she came here for?

"Nothing is wrong," She said, voice level and _almost_ believable. "We're just heading home now."

As she pulled me along with her with a rather strong grip on my forearm, I couldn't help but notice how the shadows in the alleyways on my both sides of me jumped and twitched.

The loudest _BOOM_ of thunder all day shook the very sky and ground. Vibrations rushed up my legs.

That bad feeling from earlier escalated three times more.

 **.X.**

I literally had to run to keep up with my Mother. She wasn't speed-walking or anything remotely close to it. She was almost _running_ at this point. She pushed through the strong winds blowing against us like they were nothing, never hesitating or faltering in her steps. I, on the other hand, s _truggled._ More times than I could count, I tripped over my own feet and stumbled over the slippery ground as I tried to keep up with her.

"Mother, why are we rushing like this?!" I cried over the wind. My legs were beginning to burn and my sweatshirt and black skinny jeans were drenched straight through the fabric. _I hate wet clothes._ "What's the hurry?"

I don't know whether if she couldn't hear me over the wind or if she was just ignoring my question, but she never answered me. My voice only seemed to spur her forward even more. I felt my book beginning to fall out of my sweatshirt and scrambled to keep it safe, sticking my hands under my sweatshirt to keep it in place and warming my hands marginally. I couldn't feel my face one bit, my cheeks, ears, and nose stung red from the cold.

God, I couldn't _wait_ to get back inside.

Mother suddenly stopped. I rammed straight into her back, grunting in pain and holding my nose as I took a step backwards. I looked around her, seeing her frozen face. I'd never seen such an expression on her face before. "Mother?" She didn't respond, eyes straight forward. The umbrella fell from her grip. I followed her line of sight. My jaw dropped and my body turned to ice.

All of the windows the house had were completely shattered, like someone had thrown rocks at them. Shards of glass littered the walkway and grass, gleaming dangerously. The shutters were blowing all of this way and that as the wind caught them. They banged against the house loudly, causing me to flinch at the sharp noise. Scratches lined all around the front door, which was barely hanging on to its hinges, creaking pathetically.

"Oh my God." The words came out as a whimper, my voice cracking and catching. Mother's eyes narrowed, green eyes scary and vicious and so _cold._ Blue eyes flashed in my mind and I shivered at the resemblance.

"Sakura, stay here." I barely registered her words before she was quickly making her way towards the house, footsteps scarily silent and breathing low. Even though I could obviously see her, it was like her presence _disappeared_ entirely, like she was there, but she wasn't. She slinked through the fallen door without so much as a wisp of air.

 _Shadow._

My feet automatically moved forward after her, words on my lips as I trailed after her. I froze. What the hell was I doing? Going after her so quickly? My whole body trembled, my mind working a mile a minute, and my heart pumping a fast beat in my chest. I was scared. So, so scared. I didn't want to go in there. I didn't want to see what I would find. I wanted to run away and never look back. I didn't want to be nosy this time, even though this situation could easily be tied with following a complete stranger to his home because I believed him to be suspicious. I wanted to find help.

 _But that would mean leaving Mother and Father behind. You won't ever know what happened to them._

I bit my lip.

My parents...or my own cowardice...

 _You can do this...just walk in. Pretend it's like you're coming home from school._

Unable to steel my resolve completely, I took shaky steps forward. One, two, three. I was almost to the door. My courage failed me and I stopped completely. A lump lodged itself in my throat. I couldn't swallow it down to save my life. Nausea curled in my gut and I felt like I was going to be sick. I could faintly make out shuffling noises inside and my mind clouded with fear and tension and _ohmyGod,whatisgoingtohappenifIgoinside_?

I stepped up to the door. Deep breath. I slipped around the fallen wood and took a cautious step inside.

Darkness.

 **. . .**

 **. .**

 **.**

 _"You can't always save everyone. It is physically impossible to do so. You're not God. You can't do everything alone."_

 _"I never believed that I was a God. That'd be conceited of me to believe such a thing, but that's not going to stop me from attempting it. I'd be a terrible person if I didn't at least_ try."

 **. . .**

 **. .**

 **.**

 **I seriously love doing those little quotes at the end. I have so much fun with it.**

 **CHAPTER COMPLETED! Thank you to Miku007, Hana-Taisho, Guest, and Guest for the reviews! You guys are the real MVP's! Now for review responses!**

 **To** Miku007:

Awwwww. Thank you very much! I'm happy to hear you like this idea! I've honestly only read one story about pirates in the Naruto fanfiction and it was SO GOOD. That story inspired me a lot to add on to the pirate bandwagon. I hope this new chapter didn't disappoint you!

 **To** Hana-Taisho:

I'm glad I answered that question for you! That was actually one of the last things I added in before I posted the story. I was re-reading it and looking for errors and I realized I never elaborated her age. In my opinion, if I hadn't written this story, I would've guessed she was younger than she actually was simply because the wording gives off that vibe to me.

 **To** Guest:

I like how you instantly connected "Little Brat" with Sasori. xD That just made me laugh so much. I won't reveal who it was! It could've been anyone. ;) You will see those three soon! Just not in this chapter. Sorries. x( Do you have a specific nickname you go by or may I give you one? So I don't confuse you with other Guest reviewers?

 **To** Guest:

Thank you very much! I hope you like this one, too!

 **Thank you for reading, everyone! I hope you all have a lovely day/night! Ciao!**

 **-OQ**


	3. Chapter 3

**HELLO, EVERYONE.**

 **I've legit had half of this chapter written out since my birthday back in October. *Cringes* First semester caught up with me big time. Least to say, I didn't do so hotly...**

 **ANYWAY.**

 **Happy New Year! I'm a month late, but that's okay. I hope everyone's having a great first month of 2017 so far! The second week of January started my Spring Semester and already, I can tell this semester is going to be very different from the Fall Semester. Classes are definitely more manageable even though I'm taking 17 credits compared to the 13 I took before. It's going great so far! I got a 96% on my first Math test and an 88% on my first History test. *Cheers***

 **Please enjoy this new chapter~!**

 **. . .**

 **. .**

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 _"Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them." -_ Dalai Lama

 **. . .**

 **. .**

 **.**

The air seemed to be frozen. Almost icicle frozen. Sure, it was raining outside and it was cold as hell, but it wasn't cold enough for your breath to be seen. It was the middle of November. Still Fall season until the first snow hit us in December. For some strange reason, though, the house was devoid of any warmth that it had offered after Mom and I had departed and was just as cold as outside. I had the strong sense that my short, fast breaths were very much visible right now.

I couldn't seem to take any steadying breaths at this point.

My throat was so constricted and my heart was pumping at a beat way too fast to be normal for any normal human being. _Iwassoscared._ I bit my lip and took another step forward into the dark house that seemed darker than normal. It wasn't just because of the angry storm clouds outside blocking the sun from entering through the windows either. This was a scary kind of dark. The one that children were unconsciously afraid of after being told about the monsters that hid under the bed and grabbed their tiny ankles if they got out of bed in the middle of the night.

I wasn't some toddler easily scared anymore, but that didn't stop that very same fear I felt at one point in my childhood from rearing its ugly head.

I remember at one point, when we were living in our old house in the mountains and I was still a toddler, in the middle of winter, where there was less daylight and more night time, I swore up and down to my parents that there was something moving in the shadows around my room. Especially in the corner by my closet. That particular shadow always seemed to expand and grow tall, like a monster of some sort was beginning to form from the darkness that my room created. My young eyes could clearly see the sharp white teeth and the glowing red eyes that the monster had and she had run screaming out of her room and into her parents' bed almost every night for a year, wailing about the scary monster that was going to eat her and take her away from the village.

It wasn't until years later, after my mind had matured a bit, that I realized the shadow in the corner of my room was actually just the growing sapling my parents had planted outside my window moving and shifting with the strong winter winds. It was wholly embarrassing.

I was ashamed to admit that that night followed me for many years. Father could never resist holding it over my head even now when I was almost a teenager. Mother could honestly care less since she managed to get a picture of that first night and that was all she really cared about. At least she had visual evidence that it had happened and it wasn't just her husband's word or imagination.

 _But isn't this situation different?_

I didn't know if I quite agreed with that thought. This certainly felt the same, but at the same time, this wasn't my imagination running wild. This felt _real._ This wasn't some misunderstanding on my side or my parents' side if my Mother's reaction was anything to go by. This was really happening and this wasn't me daydreaming. I pinched my arm just to be sure. It stung. I certainly wished I was daydreaming so that I could wake up from this horrible nightmare. There was a suffocating feeling in the air that made my gut tighten painfully and my mind start ringing warning bells as loudly as possible.

I should run. _Ishouldreallyrunatthispoint._

"If ever you feel like you are in danger or you don't feel safe, Sakura, _run._ Hide somewhere and stay there until it's safe or your Father and I find you. Don't hesitate for even a second. It may cost you precious time that you'll need." Mother's words were like a bucket of ice water. She had given me permission. Long ago when I was still little and reckless and liked to wander around by myself. She wouldn't look at me as if I was a coward if I ran and she came looking for me later on. I was only following her orders. I didn't feel _safe_ in our house right now. This situation fit all the criteria that she had given me. I took a step back towards the door.

 _You'd really abandon your family at a critical time like this?_

My foot froze in place at the very much unwanted thought. I chewed my lip harder. Was I really abandoning them right now? Is that really what I was doing? Was I...wrong in wanting to run away even if my parents had expressed that it was okay if I did?

 _YOU ARE. STAY AND FIND THEM._

"Anyone who would dare leave behind family because of cowardice doesn't deserve to be called _family_ to begin with."

I shivered at the voice that haunted me to this day. That man who had been passing through our tiny village all those years ago had been _scary._ Almost inhuman. Untrustworthy. But I knew that what he said was right. There was truth and bluntness in his words and he had firmly believed that he was completely just in what he said. There wasn't a shred of hesitation whenever I heard him speak in that _deep_ voice of his. I remember his strangely colored eyes and focused on remembering the beautiful colors they had been even if they were always narrowed in anger or impatience.

"Come on, girl," I muttered under my breath, trying to psyche myself into being brave. I rolled my shoulders nervously. They cracked loudly. "You got this. You can do it. One foot in front of the other. Even if I step on glass and accidentally alert the whole house that I'm here and creeping around like a weirdo."

 _I'm scared..._

 _Don't let it rule you. Keep going._

My hand reached underneath my sweatshirt to finger the worn pages of the book I had bought at the market. A margin of courage caressed me as my fingers brushed over the worn book, allowing me to take that first push that I needed to go further into the Lion's Den.

The house was pitch black inside. Not even the brightness of moonbeams that pierced through the dark clouds outside could penetrate through the silent house. My childhood fear of the shadows came back full force. It was terrifying to be in such darkness without light. A staggered inhale. A harsh exhale. I continued my careful path through the foyer of my house. I could barely see in front of me and it took my eyes a couple minutes to adjust to the poor lighting. My heart lurched at the sight that greeted me when I finally reached the entry way to the living room.

Just like the outside of the house, nothing had been spared. Dad's chair and the couch were both upended and had large tears in the cushions that spilled the fluff that was inside. A gigantic hole had been put through Mom's little rectangle table and every single one of her books that used to sit there were torn to shreds. The paper pieces were _everywhere._ I duly noted that she _would not_ be happy about that when this was all settled. All the lamps and lights that had been scattered around the room had been smashed. The shards littered the floor and my breath hitched every time I stepped on a piece. The air was frigid from the open windows that were void of glass since it covered the grass outside. I wrapped my arms around myself to preserve some type of warmth, my sweatshirt failing to keep me warm.

 _Who could have done this?_

I had my doubts that this was a simple burglary, but it wasn't completely passed off in my mind. Everything was just...too scattered for me to completely believe that this was someone looking for a little extra cash or expensive furniture. It was difficult to explain, but it felt like everything was torn apart so badly because someone was looking for something.

The question now, though, was what the hell that something actually was.

Mother and Father didn't keep expensive things in the house. Hell, I doubted they even had anything more expensive than Mother's books. They were pretty modest people even if they didn't seem like it at first because of how nice and presentable they always looked. We weren't very well off either. We weren't rich, but we weren't poor. We lived paycheck to paycheck and saved whatever was left for us to use if we decided we wanted to be spoiled for a day. Even still, the money that we did have saved up wasn't much.

 _So WHY?_

I took cautious steps forward, carefully stepped around the glass piles as best as I could. And as silently possible. My Mother's quiet footsteps and invisible presence was at the forefront of my mind. How had she been so quiet like that? I have never known my Mother to walk so quietly in my entire life. Looking around the destroyed house nervously, I couldn't help but feel like stealth was of the upmost importance right now. I felt like my _life w_ as on the line and it was a heart stopping conclusion that only increased the terror that sat front and center in my very being.

 _Probably because your life is on the line, sweetheart._

I fervently ignored the blatant remark.

I decided to ignore going into the kitchen. More than likely, every single pan that we owned would be on the floor and our fridge emptied of its contents. Knowing my luck, I would trip and make a whole lot of damn noise. The hallway that led down to the basement was also quickly dropped off the mental list. Too many horror stories had been passed around while I was growing up and all of them had given me a healthy avoidance of going into any type of basement or attic when it was dark like this. Forests were also a gigantic "no" for me. So were abandoned houses for that matter.

 _So upstairs it was._

Successfully passing all of the shit on the floor, I tip-toed as quietly as I could up the stairs. One of the steps creaked beneath my weight and my heart stopped. The whole house seemed to grow colder and I swear someone was breathing down my neck, but I didn't dare turn around, knowing that it was just my imagination running wild and my nerves going haywire. When nothing happened after a full two minutes, I continued upwards, being more cautious of the steps that I knew would make noise if weight was placed on them just right.

Outside, the wind howled unpleasantly as lightning flashed.

Upstairs was significantly less destroyed than the downstairs area. None of the windows up here had been smashed and the mini table hadn't been pushed over. The side of me that was fiercely protective of my room was very pleased to see that my bedroom door was still closed. That didn't technically mean that it wasn't already ransacked, but it gave me a sense of relief that my room was seemingly unharmed and still together the way I had left it.

I had only taken one step towards my room when a sudden muffled _crash_ came from my parent's room to my left and caused me to nearly jump through the roof. Entire body tensing and heart beating a million times faster than what it had been, I creeped towards the room, keeping as low to the ground as I could and hopefully making my presence be as silent and invisible like Mother's had been. I noticed that the door was just slightly cracked.

 _Oh sure, let's just go inspect the strange noise that was going on behind a half-closed door when your parents were nowhere in sight. Cause that's just totally smart._

I swear sometimes my conscious was a whole other entity from me with how heavy the sarcasm was laid on.

Another _crash_ had me briefly losing my balance. I threw my hand out to the floor at my side to avoid tipping over and making a lot of noise. I instantly felt the wetness that coated my hand and tensed. I closed my eyes tightly, lips pursed and stomach going completely cold. A small inhale had a heavy metallic scent filling my nose and I felt bile rising. This couldn't be happening. Please don't let it be what I think it is.

 _You can't deny what you smell_ , _darling._

I slowly withdrew my hand and brought it closer to my face. The metallic scent grew stronger and I gagged silently. The clouds decided then to part for a quick second to allow the moon to shine through the window and onto my hand. My breathing immediately grew erratic and I couldn't stop the whimper that escaped me.

Blood dripped between my fingers languidly, almost mocking me with how slow it fell from my hand. There was _so much of it._ The puddle at my side was definitely a cause for worry considering it was a substantial amount. Losing that much blood wasn't good for a person no matter how old they were.

 _Please, for the love of God, don't let it be someone I know._

I almost couldn't believe that thought. I wasn't okay with this blood being my parents', but I was okay with it being some stranger's? Didn't that go against any Doctor's belief? Was it contradicting?

 _You're biased, darling. They are your parents, after all. Your human side is disgustingly showing through._

I carefully wiped the blood back on the floor, cringing. Mother was going to _kill_ me when she saw the red streak on her floor. This shit wasn't going to come out for a very long time. Taking the last couple steps that placed me in front of the door, I eased it open a bit more so that I could see better and leaned forward, squinting through the crack.

A single candle was lit on the bedside table, illuminating the room better and creating shadows just like the ones from the past. Dangerous looking, creepy, gut wrenching. One in particular seemed to grow and grow until a brown-booted foot stepped in my line of vision. My breath hitched and I almost reared back, fearful that I had been caught. When nothing happened, I swallowed heavily and leaned back in. The person walked in a straight line across my parents' room, pacing. Back and forth. Back and forth. It was a rhythmical pace that drove me insane with nerves. Finally, he spoke.

"You know who I am." His voice was rough, gravely. Very raspy. The kind of voice that reminded me of someone who smoked his whole life and is just now starting to feel the effects of it. "So you must know that I hate liars. Tell me the truth."

"You've searched through the house. There's nothing here." A voice snapped impatiently. My heart stopped.

 _Mother?_

I leaned to the side a bit, changing the angle so that I could see to the right of the room where her voice had come from. She was leaning heavily against the wall, her head down so that her face was hidden by her tangled blond hair. Her breaths were heavy and filled with pain. Wheezing in a way that belied of internal damage. The stranger stopped in front of the door, his back to me. I was finally able to get a good look at him.

His hair was very short, the ordinary dirty blond locks cut close to his head, but it was still obvious that he hadn't had a hair cut in a while. His hair was longer around his ears, the tips curling. And he was tall. Very tall. His arms were crossed in front of him and I could plainly see the muscles that were tensed through his navy blue long-sleeved shirt and black pants that had bandages wrapped around the bottoms that disappeared into his brown boots.

"Do not lie to me," He repeated softly, voice low and _dangerous._ I was suddenly very scared for my Mother's safety and clenched my teeth to keep from making a noise. He took slow, leisure steps towards her. "Some of my men saw the girl you hurried out of the market with buy a book about the Bijuu Gem from one of our enemies." He finally stopped right in front of my Mother's feet, hand reaching out to grab a fistful of her hair and yank her head up. I noticed there was a strange black outline on his forearm, but I couldn't see it through the darkness. "I'm going to ask you one more time. Where is that girl and the book?" I couldn't stifle the gasp that escaped my lips, my hands immediately flying to my mouth a second too late to muffle the sound.

Mother's green eyes were blazing fiercely, but not even her anger could hide the pain that she was undoubtedly feeling. A thin trail of blood fell down her chin from the split upper lip, the red trail traveling down her neck and into her shirt, staining the white shirt crimson. Her hand was cradling her side tenderly, breaths harsh as she struggled to breath. An ugly bruise that looked suspiciously like finger prints wrapped angrily around her thin neck.

I paused. Wait. The book? My hand patted at the area over my jacket where the book still rested. He wanted this book? Lightning hit me. There's no way. I had hoped that this book would give me some idea of where to start looking for the Bijuu Gem, but I didn't have _that much_ hope. He couldn't seriously believe he would find all of the answers he was looking for in this book. Grumpy blue eyes and slicked back hair flashed before my eyes. A stab of anger hit me. What kind of right-minded idiot would put such information in a book and then just give it away for some grubby merchant to sell?! Was he trying to target himself if this book proved to have false information and the wrong person just so happened to buy it off him?!

Sharp eyes looked in my general direction at my gasp and my Mother paled when she saw me peeking through the crack in the door. She saw me. Mother quickly returned her attention back to the stranger and sneered at him in a way only my Mother could when she was shaming a man who had said something very stereotypical. "The Bijuu Gem? That's what all of this nonsense is about? Don't tell me you believe in that bullshit hoax?" She was desperately trying to hide the fact that her only child was feet away from a possible killer that wouldn't hesitate to kill a child.

 _Mom, now is seriously not the time for fake bravery! YOUR LIFE IS AT STAKE HERE._

Well, mine was, too, at the moment, but that's honestly beside the point right now.

The man's grip tightened around her blond locks. She winced, her free hand clenching in her lap and her jaw tightening. "The Bijuu Gem," He whispered, almost reverently and voice still so soft that I strained to hear him, "has been hiding from the world long enough. I know it exists. People don't just make up rumors for no reason unless someone has seen something similar to the Gem. Any hint, any new _fact,_ that will point my men and I in the right direction will be collected no matter what the source is. We will be one step closer to finding that Gem." His hand disappeared in front of him. I heard a _shink_ sound.

 _OH LORD, PLEASE_ NO.

A wickedly curved blade was suddenly pressed against my Mother's exposed throat, the gleaming blade wide and curved so beautifully, but oh so dangerously. Mother's eyes glared at the blade pressed close to the skin of her throat, lips pursed tightly. She wasn't even _daunted_ by the sharp weapon that could end her life so quickly and painfully.

He leaned closer to her face. I could literally _feel_ his entire aura darken more so than what it was before. _Iwassoscared._ "Please understand that I don't want to do this." _What a load of bullshit!_ "I'm giving you one more chance. You're lucky I'm feeling so compliant today. Tell me where what I'm looking for is and I'll let you go."

Mother's green eyes cut to me as discreetly as she could, catching mine in her's. She held my eyes, her similar orbs conveying a message I couldn't read. She seemed to understand my confusion because she closed hers slowly. When they opened again, they glared defiantly at her captor.

"There's only one thing I'm going to be telling you, _pal,_ and I can assure you that you won't like the answer." She stretched her neck towards him, so close to his face that their noses brushed. There was nothing romantic about the action. If anything, it looked very _threatening._ Her lips pulled into a sarcastic smirk. "You can go _fuck yourself._ " The message was very clear in her words and even my oblivious self could read the hidden meaning behind her vulgar language.

 _You'll have to kill me first._

I couldn't see his face, but I just knew that his eyes were narrowed into angry slits. "You have 10 seconds to tell me where that brat and the book are before you have a personal meeting with Izanami herself." The steel of his blade flashed in agreement. His voice was so cold, so emotionless. He was done playing games.

I shivered as tears began to well up in my eyes at his words. Please no.

"9."

This seriously cannot be happening. Not to her. Not to the woman who would give me and Father the world if she could. The woman who is so incredibly selfless and would do anything for anybody. My hands clenched into fists over my stomach. The front of the book pressed back. All of this for a stupid book?

"8."

Green eyes met mine once more as carefully as possible. I could see the anger, frustration, desperation, the _fear_ in her eyes. She was as scared as I was. There was literally nothing she could do right now. Her hands were tied into knots and there was little to no hope of her getting herself out of this situation. No amount of her famous talking could get her free.

Maybe I could just walk in and offer the book. Maybe he'd be more willing to spare our lives then if he had what he came all the way here for?

 _That's a plan if I've ever heard one._

"7."

A hand landed roughly on my shoulder and I almost screamed, but a _gentle_ hand covered my mouth quickly. Mother's eyes trembled fearfully at my reaction, knowing something was wrong. The stranger didn't even flinch at her obvious show of expression and continued his countdown. He probably thought she was fearful of her impending death.

"6."

My eyes shot to the side, heart stuttering in my chest painfully at being caught. Was this really it? Did I really drop my guard so much that I didn't hear this person come up behind me? Was I really going to die in my own house with my Mother and no idea what happened to my Father?

 _I WON'T GIVE THEM THE BOOK. NOT LIKE THIS._

"5."

Dull blue eyes connected with mine. My eyes widened in surprise. The hand slowly fell away from my mouth, a silent warning to keep quiet some more.

 _Father?_

"4."

God, he definitely looked worse than Mother did right now. His nose looked horribly broken, blood still dripping from his nostrils and into his beard and down into his torn up shirt and pants. One of his eyes was horribly bruised and slightly swollen shut and I could've sworn that he had a small chunk of his ear missing, but his limp hair covered it before I could get a clearer view of it. He was breathing from his mouth, breaths audible from being so close to me and pained just like Mother's.

He placed a finger to his lips and shushed me gently, pointing to the stranger and shaking his head. He crouched lower to my level and grabbed at something by his side. I was surprised to see his trusty wooden baseball bat held firmly in his hands.

"3."

My head snapped to the room. Oh God. Mother was running out of time. _GodwhatdoIdo? Shecan'tdierightnow. INEEDEDHERRIGHTNOW._ I started to rise from my crouch, no doubt about to do something stupid, but what could I honestly do in this situation? Not jack shit. There was literally nothing I could do to save my Mother without one of us getting more hurt or worse.

But that didn't mean I couldn't distract him so that she could get away.

Father's warm hand snatched mine hastily, urgently. His eyes urged me not to go in, shaking his head fervently. He pulled me back down to the ground, pulling out of his crouch as he did so. His tanned hand had a white-knuckled grip on his weapon.

My eyes widened.

 _No._

"2."

There was a swish of a something cutting through air. He was prepping himself. Mother's eyes clenched shut.

I gazed tearfully up at my Father. He couldn't be doing this. He was putting himself in more danger. _What if he died?!_

His beautifully kind eyes softened at my expression, a hand reaching out to run carefully through my still damp hair. He smiled at me and turned away. He did probably the most _stupidest_ thing he'd ever done in his entire life.

"1."

 _He charged right on in._

 **.X.**

Ironically, the rain was finally slowing down when I ran like a bat out of Hell out of the house. The skies were clearing at a snail's pace, the grey clouds giving way to the clear blue of the late afternoon sky. The sun made it's first appearance of the day when I came out of the house.

I hardly took notice of any of these things.

 _The stranger's crew came barreling into the already cramped room at their leader's command, swords flashing and teeth showing. One saw me hiding in the corner, my book clutched tightly to my chest. Silver flashed before my eyes before it was stopped by brute force. "DON'T TOUCH MY DAUGHTER."_

I couldn't seem to get away quick enough. The sounds of metal clashing against metal and the shouting of followers trailed after me down the path to the market. I had to get there. I had to find somewhere safe for a while. A strangled sob fell past my lips, tears streaming down my cheeks.

The book in my hands felt so _heavy._ I've never wanted to destroy a book more so than right now.

 _There was a grunt. Father went flying over the bed, disappearing over the other side as Mother angrily kicked away a lackey and lashed out at the leader with her fists. "Sakura, get out of here! Get out of the village! Find shelter until we find you!" The stranger's eyes flashed furiously at her words and shouted a strange word. Answering calls responded back. I paled._

My foot caught on something and I went careening forward. I grunted painfully, rolling down the path a bit before sliding to a stop before a huge pile of mud. At least there was some saving grace up there that took pity on me. I coughed, wiping off the mud that had gotten on my face and in my eyes. I looked down at the book. It was even dirtier than it was before, but still okay. The mud hardly even got on it.

I climbed back to my feet and took off towards the market again.

 _The stranger slammed against the wall, holding the cheek Father had just hit. "Protect that book! Don't let the pirates get it!" Mother sent me flying out of the room, stopping anyone who tried to get past her. The last thing I saw before I ran was a sharp sword piercing through her side._

Pirates.

I almost couldn't believe I hadn't made that connection. I felt so incredibly stupid. I had even _seen_ the stupid mark on his arm when he was man-handling my Mother. The mark that signified a man as a wanted outlaw or one whom had turned away from the norms of society to pillage and burn down homes and families.

 _A pirate._

They were actually _here_ in this portside town where nothing ever happened and everyone had no secrets to hide. A town that literally made a living off selling fish and the rare traders who were brave enough to venture through the mountain passes to get here. They were here and they were after some stupid book that they didn't even know if it held true information.

 _They must be some of the stupidest pirates I've ever heard of._

I ran straight into the market, looking around frantically. A few vendors were hesitantly setting up again, though they stopped when they saw my frazzled expression. None of them made any effort to ask me what was wrong. I didn't care for them. I knew they wouldn't help me. These people didn't like strangers and even though I had lived here for a while, I wasn't one of them yet. I speed-walked down the dirt path, glancing every which way trying to find a place to hide.

God. There had to be a place around here where I could camp out for a couple days until those pirates left. I cast a glance towards the woods on the outskirts of town. The dark green trees went on for miles, all the way up to the mountains that hindered the village from any huge trades. They would be the perfect place. Those pirates would be searching for _days_ if they did somehow escaped my parents and came after me into the forest. Maybe I could...

I shook my head. No way. Not happening. That will be my last resort. I don't do forests. Even if Mother had specifically told me to leave the village, I couldn't force myself to do it. Horror movies from my childhood were still too fresh and I was still too frightened to take the chance that my parents wouldn't find me in the dense trees.

A body suddenly stepped into my path and I yelped when I walked right into the person, tumbling back towards the ground once more and landing in a huge mud pile. The book, once more, remained completely untouched.

 _OF ALL THE THINGS TO HAPPEN NOW OF ALL TIMES._

I gritted my teeth and turned my eyes up to glare at the poor soul who had stepped in my way. I froze. Blue eyes looked down at me indifferently, but knowingly.

"I see you ran into trouble," He said gruffly, eyeing my ruffled appearance. I stared at him. This man...

I was suddenly angry. So very _angry._ I had never felt this furious in my entire life. This white hot feeling that burned through my entire body and settled heavily in my gut. I wanted to kill this man. I literally wanted to dismember him and throw him into the ocean for the sharks to feast on. My mind came to a screeching halt and I mentally shook my head. Okay, woah, calm down. Such thoughts were not in any way healthy. I just need to take a deep breath...

His blank expression snapped what little patience I had.

I threw the book at his head as hard as I could, snarling when he deftly caught it with one hand. I lunged at him, beating my fists against his sides. I dully realized that he was taller than me by a good two heads. "This is all your fault!" I screamed, still hitting him. He didn't stop me, blue eyes watching me attempt to hurt him coolly. "You _knew!_ You knew that book was bad news and you still sold it to me! You led those people to target us!"

"I didn't know that you would be targeted like you were," He said sharply, catching one of my wrists in his. His grip was firm, but not bruising, which slightly surprised me. "I thought I had lost that group out at sea months ago. It seems they followed me."

 _He's also one of them. He's a pirate, too._

I shook my head, hair whipping furiously around my face. "My parents are possibly _dead_ because of you! You shouldn't have sold me that book!" My stomach rolled at the thought of my parents being dead. I almost threw up then and there.

"You shouldn't have expressed an interest in something like the Bijuu Gem."

His words made me falter for a second. "There's nothing wrong with being curious about something," I said defensively.

"That curiosity is what landed you in your current situation."

" _You shouldn't have sold me that book!_ "

"Kid, there are things about your parents that you are obviously unaware of if you think that book is the whole reason those rogues came after you," He growled, eyes narrowed into blue slits. I refused to even think about what his words could possibly mean. He was hinting at something that was treading dangerous waters with my mental state. I knew I would embarrass myself further if I let myself stop and think about his words some more.

"That book is a huge part of the reason I'm here and not at home with my parents! I never said it was the whole reason!"

He didn't miss the accusation in my voice. "You think I had some part in this attack?" He sounded surprised, so disbelieving. Like it was preposterous that he was even capable of such a thing.

"I know you did," I accused, glaring at him. Tears began to cloud my vision and I couldn't do anything to stop them from falling down my cheeks again. "You immediately started to pack up after you had sold me that book and you were gone before I even left the market. You had to of known what was going to happen!" At this point, people were beginning to pay a sliver more attention. Whispers were exchanged and fingers were pointed. Again, no one stepped forward to get between the two strangers in their town.

The man ignored the townsfolk. He was focusing entirely on me at this point. His eyes didn't soften or harden in the least at my accusation, but somehow, I felt like he was looking at me in gentler way. "I can assure you, Kid, that I didn't know ;anything about your family being targeted." His voice was still gruff, but kind, like he was talking to a wild animal. I was torn between being insulted or continuing to pay attention to his every word. "I saw Moroi sneaking around and tried to get away before he caused more trouble for the villagers seeing as how in the past, he was determined to kill me. It seems that he had a different agenda than what I thought."

 _Moroi._

So that was the stranger's name?

 _I will never forget it._

He released my wrist. I snatched it back, subconsciously rubbing the skin even though he hadn't really hurt me. His sleeve rose an inch and I could make out the black outline that I was slowly starting to hate.

 _Strange coming from you since you had a huge obsession with pirates since you first found out about them._

That was before they had brought harm to my family.

"I had a feeling," I murmured, my earlier anger diminishing, but still resting in my belly. The man arched an eyebrow, silently asking for an elaboration. I glared pointedly at his wrist. "I had a feeling you weren't an ordinary vendor." His hand seemed to gravitate towards his wrist, his dirty fingers grazing the skin, but not touching it. The hand holding the book still clenched the spine tightly.

"I don't consider my time as one of them a mistake," He admitted, sounding _almost_ vulnerable. "I've been to many places and got to travel with some of the best crew I could've ever imagined. It wasn't a life wasted."

Even though my outlook on pirates had darkened considerably after what happened, my mind betrayed me and began imagining what it would be like to live as a pirate. You'd get to travel across the oceans without anyone there to tell you what to do or how to do this. You could go _treasure hunting._ You'd have a crew that would hopefully follow you to a fault if they weren't backstabbing bastards. Sure, the downside is that you're a wanted outlaw by most of the world, but that's the _excitement._ Escaping capture and laughing while you do it.

 _There is something very wrong with us._

The sound of shouting behind us snapped me out of my daydream. I snapped my head around so fast my neck cracked. There in the distance were some of Moroi's followers, glancing this way and that, obviously looking for me. They hadn't seen me yet, which was surprising considering I was standing in the _middle of the freaking road with my bright pink hair on obvious display._

The man suddenly snatched my forearm, hauling me off down an alley that reeked of garbage and waste. I squawked at his brute display of strength, shakily keeping up with his larger steps. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?! Let me go!"

"You're not gonna survive out on your own, Kid," He grumbled, turning sharply. My shoulder hit the brick wall since my body wasn't used to such a sharp change in direction and I hissed in pain. He ignored me and continued his harsh pace. "Not against Moroi now that he knows what you look like. You need someone to help you stay out of sight."

"And I suppose you're gonna be that person?" I said sarcastically, not believing his words for one second. He eye-balled me out of the corner of his eyes. I tensed at the strange gleam that shone in his one visible eye. I didn't like that look. That was the look Mother gave me when she told me she wanted to go clothes shopping. My heart throbbed painfully at the memory.

He grinned in a scary display of surprisingly white teeth that had sharp canines. I hoped he wouldn't file my teeth like that. It looked _painful._ "You're talking to a former pirate Lieutenant, Kid. I may be old, but I haven't lost any of my techniques in my years of solitude."

I frowned, but accepted it regardless. I didn't really have a choice in the matter. Especially since he honestly seemed to know what he was talking about unlike Moroi's stupid lackeys. "Can I at least get a name so I won't be calling you 'Stranger' for our entire partnership?"

He chuckled. "I had many names as a pirate, Kid. But you can call me Nao."

 _For the love of God, please screw with his head for one second in time._

I couldn't resist. I wrinkled my nose in a mock display of disappointment. " _Nao?_ Isn't that supposed to be a girl's name? Why were you named after a girl?"

He'd apparently heard this before because his face reddened and he scowled at me over his shoulder as he once more turned a corner. I successfully dodged the wall that time. "It's a _unisex_ name, you damn brat. I'm not the one with the frilly ass name that matches her hair color."

It was my turn to be red in the face. "My name suits me just fine! At least you can tell what my name is! I would've started calling you Yori or something more unfortunate if you hadn't told me your name any faster!"

He suddenly stepped to his right, still pulling me forward. My momentum caused me to go face first into a wall with no chance of stopping. I reared back, groaning as I clutched at my now bleeding nose. I could _hear_ the smirk in his voice as he started walking again. "Watch where you're going, Kid. Some of these walls aren't so forgiving as to let you walk away with just a bloody nose."

" _You're the one that pulled me into that wall, you crotchety old man!_ "

Least to say, I _accidentally_ walked into three more walls before our trip was over and my new life would begin.

 **. . .**

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 _"It's fucking strange that a merchant's brat knows how to fight as well as she does. As far as I'm concerned, no merchant teaches their brats how to fight since they have nothing to fucking fight against. Jashin will not be fooled by this little harlot."_

 _"Where I learned how to fight is absolutely none of your business. That is my business and mine alone. The only thing strange around here is the fact that a foul-mouthed albino believes in a religion that doesn't even_ exist _."_

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 **Hot damn, this took awhile to finish. Again, I'm sorry with the lateness. :( Hopefully I won't be missing for that long again.**

 **CHAPTER COMPLETED (FINALLY) ! Thank you to Miku007, Guest, Little Fox Demon, Hana-Taisho, and Sakura Hatsu for your reviews! They were lovely to read!**

 **To** Miku007:

I FEEL SO SAD FOR LEAVING YOU HANGING LIKE THAT. Please forgive me.

I LITERALLY CANNOT WAIT TO ADD IN THE AKATSUKI TO THIS MESS. LORD I'M SO EXCITED FOR THAT CHAPTER. Thank you for your review and kind words and support. *Heart*

 **To** Guest:

Thank you very much for your review and kindness! I hope you like this chapter, too!

 **To** Little Fox Demon:

Honestly, the first thing I want to say is that I really like your FF Name. I'm not very creative as my own FF Name shows. *Laughs*

Thank you for the follow of this story! I hope I won't disappoint you in the future! Any of your advice or criticism will be greatly welcomed if you do continue reading this story of mine.

 **To** Hana-Taisho:

Thank you for your continued support! Writing that house gave me the chills, too. *Shivers* I have the Haunted Jail in my home town for that particular inspiration. It took all of my willpower to get close to that place.

Honestly, I hope I gave you a surprise turn in events for this chapter! I still have plans for Sakura's parents in this story, but you definitely weren't wrong when you said they were going to die. I honest to God actually planned to end them in this chapter, but then I realized that that was a typical action in most FF stories, so I decided to throw things for a (hopefully) good loop.

 **To** Sakura Hatsu:

Thank you very much for your compliment and review!

Yes! That's right! I actually got the idea from one of my favorite authors, DarkPetal16! But instead of what I'm doing, in her Sakura story, she began incorporating the letters Sakura and Gaara would send each other during the story's progression at the beginning and the end of each chapter. I didn't want to give away too much information about the story, so I decided it would be better to leave the sayings at the end. ^.^ Plus it's easier on my mind since I forget very quickly what it is that I already put in and what I haven't yet. *Sweatdrops*

I hope you like this chapter as well!

 **Thank you for reading, everyone! Please have a very good day/night! Ciao!**

 **-OQ**


	4. Chapter 4

**HELLO, EVERYONE!**

 **I hope February treated everyone good! Terribly sorry I didn't post last month. It was a rough twenty-eight days for me. I'm thankful March is here, but I'm not so thankful for the bipolar weather. That can go away.**

 **THIS CHAPTER IS A FUCKING WHOPPER, I TELL YA. I hope the length isn't terrible.**

 **PLEASE BE WARNED. This chapter is a time-skip. I have a reasoning for this. :)**

 **Please enjoy this chapter~!**

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 _"As a writer, you live in such isolation. It's hard to imagine your book has a life beyond you." -_ Ann Brashares

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Tall grass tickled at my ankles and I had to consciously resist the urge to reach down and scratch at the skin it was touching. The feeling was very unwelcome, but it was the first time I had been outside when it wasn't down-pouring and I had missed the feeling of dry grass. It didn't stick to my feet like wet grass did and it didn't make me feel like I was hobbling through a huge mud puddle.

It was a nice day today. The sun was out, shining its yellow rays down on me and spreading warmth all through out my body. A cool breeze pulled through my locks of hair, pulling them this way and that from the confines of my high ponytail. It seemed to go straight through my clothes, too, caressing the skin underneath in a pleasant way that was easily accepted. It felt nice.

The monsoon season had finally passed us by at last, leaving the Earth wet with rain and the crops drowned in puddles. Forest animals were making their presence known once more, chirping and squeaking to one another in high tones. The air smelled heavily of rain and trees and soil. It was a refreshing smell after being stuck in a cabin that almost always smelled of tobacco smoke and burnt food. Everything just seemed more lively. The world was waking up from its long hibernation and it was absolutely amazing.

I almost wished I could stay like this for the rest of the afternoon.

"Eyes up, Kid. You're slipping again." My pipe dream was quickly shattered by Nao's sharp voice cutting through my musings. My lip curled in annoyance at his stupid nickname, but quickly did as he asked. He still had that stupid walking stick in his hands and I wasn't too keen on getting nailed in the back again today . I lowered my center of gravity, fists raised to protect my face and back straight. My bare feet dug deeper into the soft ground beneath me. I was thankful that the rocks that would normally pierce my soles were buried far beneath the soil today. I wasn't feeling very up to wrapping my feet again. My knees protested the tensing and the bending, screaming at me that I needed to straighten up or sit the hell down. I studiously ignored them, lips pursed tightly as I glared at Nao.

The old geezer's steel-blue eyes were narrowed on my form, no doubt nit-picking it mentally and filing it away for later. He had thankfully shaved recently, but he still had a bad five o'clock shadow that made the bags under his eyes and the newly forming wrinkles around his mouth be more prominent. He stood tall across from me in his dirty white shirt, black pants, and similar bare feet, ever so prideful and stubborn to not show weakness in front of me even if it's been awhile since we've been living together. He couldn't hide the fact that he was leaning a bit more heavily on the walking stick in his left hand, though. His knee must be bothering him again.

 _I know which side to strike now if I can actually hit the old coot._

It was such a low blow, but I had to resort to such tactics if I even wanted to graze the mean old geezer. He was getting on in his years, but that didn't hinder him in the least. He wasn't lying when he said that being as old as he was didn't stop him from staying in shape when it came to his pirate training.

 _And I still don't even know how old he is._

Another gust of wind blew by, bringing with it leaves that had fallen free from the tree branches. I absently realized that they looked like the Maple leaves that always blew onto the yard back at home. I took a slow deep breath. One leaf obscured my view of Nao for a second. Without hesitation, I lunged towards him.

Legs tensing, I attacked him with a high kick, flexibility thankfully allowing my leg to reach up so high without hyper-extending anything. He stopped the attack with his forearm, grunting at the impact. I bent my knees quickly and jumped, using his arm as leverage to get above him and swung my other leg at him as I kept my arms bent and close to my chest. He leaned away from my attacking leg, disgust crossing his face for a second when my bare— _dirty_ —foot clipped the tip of his nose.

 _Germophobe. He never could tolerate me walking around the house with my bare feet._

I couldn't help the snicker that escaped me as I landed on the ground, knees absorbing the impact, and attacked with a right hook.

He tilted his head just slightly to the left to avoid my fist, eyes following the length of my arm to my face. Quick as lightning, his hand not holding his stick of terror latched onto my wrist, squeezing. I twisted my body as much as I could, ducking under his arm and bringing his own limb with me. It loosened just a fraction under the pressure of being pulled in such a direction. I pulled his arm further behind his back and kicked at his knees, attempting to push him down to the ground. His knees came together, somehow trapping my ankle in between his legs. He suddenly spun on his heels, knees not letting go of my ankle and sending me crashing onto the ground when I lost my balance.

I coughed once before sweeping my leg out to knock into his bad leg. He dodged it easily, harshly kicking my ankle away. I cringed at the pain that shot up my leg. His stick of terror lashed towards my mid section. I hurriedly rolled away, gaping at the impact the cane made when it connected to the ground. The cane left a nice sized hole in the ground where I had just been laying. I scowled at him. "Are you trying to break one of my ribs or something?!"

He arched an eyebrow as he straightened back up. "At this point in your training, I expect you to be able to dodge such simple attacks."

"You expect too much," I snapped automatically, shakily getting back to my feet. I stumbled just slightly as my ankle throbbed. It felt sprained from Nao's hit or something might have been pulled when I had tried to kick him. Maybe I kicked farther than my leg could reach? I couldn't tell without sitting down and actually feeling it. Nao's eyes caught the fumble and he eyed my foot. Knowing his thought process, I quickly kicked up a handful of mud that was aimed at his face. He ducked under the attack.

Nao was definitely a hard teacher when it came to hand-to-hand combat. He didn't screw around with my training. He took it very seriously even though he was just a merchant who sold somewhat suspicious books to unsuspecting people and I was a kid who fell for his stupid collection of books and hardly talked to him respectfully. He was merciless with me, never allowing any imperfections or laziness in my forms and attacks.

 _"As my student, I expect you to be close to perfect or completely perfect. Don't half ass any of this training and you won't be doing the same exercise from sun up to sun down. Now quit running away, you brat. I finally found all of my throwing knives and sais."_

Boy, he wasn't kidding when he kept to that promise. I couldn't remember how many times he'd have me run for hours on end or do an infinite number of push ups or sit ups because I wasn't giving it my all. He didn't tolerate such laziness. It wasn't in his character to. I see now why he lived up to being a Lieutenant once. He definitely commanded the presence of one and he didn't show any sort of leniency towards me even though I was way younger than him and didn't have the same limits.

Nao aimed a series of right-handed punches at me, the attacks fluid and speedy despite him not being able to properly prep into the punches. His left hand was kept close to his side, only being raised to block my own punches that managed to slip past him. He used his damn stick to hit my wrists each time I tried to withdraw away from him. I hissed when he whacked particularly hard one such instance. His leg suddenly kicked out, landing solidly on my injured leg. My knee buckled and I couldn't stop my descent towards his knee, which he quickly raised to nail me right in the jaw.

It was only quick thinking on my part that I relaxed my jaw and rolled my tongue back before I bit it off when his knee connected.

My head flew back from the force and my body rolled with the momentum, flying ass over end at least twice before I landed on my back with a painful _oomph._ I groaned in pain before I sat up, rubbing my jaw. Blood welled up in my mouth. I spit it out, feeling around my mouth for any missing teeth. I was thankful to find all my teeth intact, though a few continued to bleed. I hoped they weren't terribly loose. My back was definitely going to hurt something fierce later tonight when I laid down to sleep.

"That _hurt,_ you mean old geezer!" I snarled at him, angry that I hadn't seen such an attack coming. It was so _weird_ for Nao to use his legs when it came to combat since he mainly relied on his fists and upper body to do most of the damage. Even when he was training me, he rarely touched on lower body fighting styles. That didn't mean his training didn't give my lower body a work out, though. I knew I was complaining, but _damn it._ With his training methods, I felt like I had every right to complain every once in a while.

"Quit complaining," He snapped back, glowering at me. He looked up at the sky, eyes squinting from the sun. "That's enough for today. Good job."

I was surprised. Lord Almighty. Not only did he end practice a whole hour early, he also complimented me. The world must be ending.

"Why are we stopping so early?" I asked from the ground before quickly reiterating when he gave me a look. "I mean, normally we go the full time. You've never let me go this early before." And whenever he did, it was mainly to launch a surprise attack on me soon afterwards and berate me for letting my guard down even if it was just the two of us. Crazy bastard.

He sighed, rubbing his face tiredly. I frowned. The bags on his eyes were sticking out really bad today. He must not have gotten much sleep again last night. Now that I thought about it, though...I could hear him tossing and turning from the next room over all night. I had to wonder what could be bothering him.

"There's honestly not much else I can teach you, Kid," He said seriously, resting both hands on his cane in front of him. I blinked. "You've been with me for almost six years. That's a long time for someone like me to still be having a student who's as dedicated as you are and who picked up my style as fast as you did."

 _Has it really been almost six years...?_

I almost couldn't believe it. I had met Nao when I was thirteen and living a relatively peaceful life. Now, I was eighteen and still living like a hermit with him in the middle of the forest. Six years living with a grumpy old former pirate Lieutenant. Six years living in the forest with no connection to the outside world. Six years living in hiding from Moroi and the others. Six years living without my parents by my side. I winced, hand reaching up to clench the ends of my shirt. My heart thumped painfully in my chest. My parents still haven't come. I've been waiting so long for them, but they haven't shown up once.

I celebrated five birthdays without them and I could only wish them a happy birthday in my mind for five years since they weren't here with me like they should be.

 _Don't assume the worst. They weren't at the house when we went back a couple years ago._

Honestly, that was the only thing that prevented me from fully believing my parents were dead.

Nao had reluctantly indulged me once when I had just turned sixteen. I had begged and fought and pleaded with him for months to let me go back into town to my house to see what's taking my parents so long. They couldn't have forgotten about me and they wouldn't just abandon me so callously. Not after three years. He had given in and agreed, but only on the conditions of us not being seen, sticking to the shadows, and not letting any authorities or nosy neighbors know that someone had been rummaging around through that area. I couldn't have been more ecstatic.

I wasn't so ecstatic when I had finally gotten back to my house.

 _The house had definitely seen better days. It was clear that it wasn't being taken care of. Ivy had grown up alongside the house, the longest vine reaching for the roof as others seemed to be reaching through the destroyed windows to get inside. The yard was left to grow, the grass reaching my knees and covering the tiny dirt path that had led up to the door. There was a_ hole _where my parents' room had been, as if an explosion had gone off from inside and_ _—_

Fingers snapped in front of my face. I blinked, surprised, and swatted Nao's fingers away from my face. "Quit with the damn selective hearing," Nao grumbled, walking past me. He stumbled once and I didn't do anything to adjust him. I learned the hard way that Nao didn't like help. "Let's go back to the cabin. I'm hungry."

That was so typical of him.

"When are you not hungry?" I mumbled under my breath, following after him. He heard me and hit me upside the head with his hand.

Oh yes. This was a very typical day for us.

 **.X.**

My lip curled at the feeling of my clothes sticking so closely to my body as I heaved up pieces of wood while Nao sat in his chair nearby. My clothes were already close-fitting since that's what Nao's training wanted from me, but when one could literally feel the sweat that caused it to stick to them tighter, that's when it crossed the line of being comfortable to uncomfortable.

 _I need a shower and I need one now._

I had never waited so long to shower before and I was finding that I hated it, especially since I was starting to smell myself. Gross. The clinking of cutlery in a bowl echoed behind me and the smell of stew wafted into my nose. I smirked proudly. The batch I had made today had turned out pretty well if I do say so myself. Nao hadn't complained once.

Working just a bit quicker so I could go grab myself a shower, I heaved up a huge piece of wood and threw it into the fireplace, wincing back when sparks hissed out of the fire. Grabbing the poker, I jostled around the already burning wood and moved the new piece near the center of the fire so it would catch fire quicker. The cabin had gotten pretty cool while we had been outside and while it felt good on my heated skin, it would get uncomfortably cold soon. The cabin was really bad about retaining heat inside, unfortunately.

It was a rather worn down place. The wood was obviously old and starting to decay away, but it somehow managed to hold strong even after the rain and cold it had endured this past winter. It was a simple set up, with the open space right when you walk in acting as a dining room, kitchen, and living room all combined into one. Not surprisingly, it was very organized with everything separated enough for moving room and for the distinction to tell where one area switched to another. There was only one bedroom, but for some odd reason, Nao had given it to me without much of a fight. Confused, I had asked him why he would give it to me. Not that I hadn't been grateful, of course.

He had only given me a look that I couldn't decipher and said, "It's easier this way. For both of us."

No surprise, though, that I still didn't know what he meant when he told me that. I had a good idea, but it wasn't something I was going to talk with him about. Especially since he'd probably get angry with me and banish me from the cabin again.

Those were times where I positively _despised_ the man who pretty much raised me into adulthood, even if he did it very reluctantly. The ruthless bastard pulled no favoritism and didn't have an ounce of sympathy or empathy in him for all the times he threw me outside for hours on end in the freezing cold and pouring rain. Just because I said something that hit a little too close to home.

 _Don't be dramatic. There have been an equal amount of times where he sent you outside to teach you a lesson you refused to grasp._

"When you're done with that, Sakura," Nao began. I turned to look at him out of the corner of my eye. "I need you to run an errand for me."

 _There goes my damn shower._ Cursing mentally, I stood, putting the poker away and giving him a curious look. "An errand?"

I could only imagine what he wanted me to do this time. He probably wanted me to go hunting for food or chop up more wood for the next week. Lazy old man.

 _I dare you to say that to his face._

I don't have a death wish, thank you very much. And I don't want another welt on my head.

"I need you to go into town and listen around for the town gossip." I blinked. Go into town?

 _Look who was completely wrong._ I hated when he did this. It always threw me for a loop. But...

"Why do you want me to go into town?" I asked, sitting down before him where he sat in his chair close to the table. A part of me was slightly excited at the prospect of going back home, even if I won't be seen and I can't walk around freely like I used to. I missed the dirt road that ran through the market and going to my favorite vendors who never failed to indulge my childish desires. Cold blue eyes watched me closely, almost calculatingly. I felt like those eyes could read my mind with how piercing they were. His lips were pursed tightly and he looked like he was struggling with what to say next. A worn hand ran scratched at his five o'clock shadow. Dare I say, he almost looked _nervous._

He sighed and said very bluntly, "I think we're being watched."

Those five words had me freezing in place and muscles tensing unnaturally quickly. My hands curled into fists and my toes clenched inwards. I bit my lip. He thought we were being watched? By whom? Could it be...

 _Moroi?_

Red flashed across my eyes for a split second before I squashed down the anger, though it lingered in the back of my mind. I immediately turned my head enough so that I could see outside the window, scanning the few trees that I could see from my placement on the floor. There wasn't a single sign of movement other than the swaying of the trees and the blowing wind that caused said movement.

A hand was placed on my head and it turned my face back towards Nao. "Don't be so jumpy. That'll just encourage future paranoia and anxiety."

Oh sure, telling me to subtly relax is so helpful. I scowled at him. "You _just_ said—"

"I said _I think,_ not _I know,_ " He corrected. "I'm still not sure."

"Where did you even come to that conclusion?"

He shrugged and glanced outside. "Little things. Something wasn't where I left it or something out of place. For all I know, it could just be a curious raccoon wandering around. Damn things." He grumbled that last part under his breath. I never understood Nao's distaste for raccoons. They hardly ever bothered us since we rarely left trash outside for days on end like some people and we always made sure to dispose of any old meat that would attract them or bigger animals. God forbid we go outside the next morning to find a giant grizzly bear chowing down on old meat. Nao would probably have an aneurism.

His attempt at dissuading the situation did little to relieve me of my worry and tension. Nao didn't just jump to conclusions despite what he says. If he thinks we're being watched, more than likely, we are being watched. The man was unbelievably shrewd. Hardly anything got past his eyes. There had to have been enough evidence around that caught his attention and made him come to the realization of something or someone being where they shouldn't be.

He saw the disbelief written on my face and frowned heavily. "Don't think too much into this, Kid. You have better things to do then constantly looking over your shoulder for someone that's not there."

Letting him pull away from the topic, I asked, "What am I looking for specifically when I go to town? It can't be because you think we're being spied on." If it was, I might just kill him. That was a pointless mission if I've ever heard one. Regardless of the fact that if I saw a hint of Moroi, I'd be on him within a heartbeat no matter if it was part of an errand or not.

He shook his head. "Rumors," He said simply.

I was skeptical and not very surprised at his answer. "Rumors?"

"I have a feeling," He said quietly, folding his hands in his lap and staring at them contemplatively, "that a group I long thought to be myth has been sighted."

For some reason, I felt like I knew what he was talking about. I had heard so many stories about ships and crews that were myth, but there was always one that never failed to make goosebumps crawl up my arms. Ironically, it was the one that had the least information about it, but it was still infamous among the people back home. My heart began to beat a bit faster and I swallowed heavily.

"They've been in hiding for a long time," Nao whispered, eyes clouded, "for reasons no one knows and it eventually came to be that everyone thought them to have never existed after years had passed with no word from them. It was merely a bed time story to scare children into staying away from the coasts and never to travel overseas."

 _"The ocean is very beautiful, Sakura, but don't forget that it will betray you if you try to control it. Nothing good ever comes out for the fool who thinks they can rule above God."_

Memories of my parents standing on the beach outside our house flooded my mind. Green and blue eyes had looked so _wistful_ that it had hurt my heart every time I caught them outside looking as such. In my young mind that had been heavily influenced with fairy tales and myths, I pertained them to be mythical creatures that were trapped on land because of a curse and they were struggling to find a way to be free again. They had never discouraged me from traveling overseas, but they were definitely against me going for a simple reason like treasure hunting.

 _I wonder if my book would have information about this group._

It was doubtful. The book was supposed to be centered around the origins of the Gem and the history, not about the groups that were after it. I shot a look to the chest on the other side of the room that was pressed against the wall. Nao had been adamant about keeping the book out of sight. He didn't want it laying around where just about anyone could see it. He wouldn't even let me read it. I hadn't even opened the stupid thing yet. It had irked me incredibly when I was younger, but it had been easier to ignore the urge as I got older. The feeling of wanting to read it came back and I had to force myself to look away from the chest.

"How do you know?" I asked curiously. I didn't have to elaborate further than that and Nao knew what I was asking easily enough. _How do you know that they actually exist?_

Nao's eyes sharpened and he closed them. "Call it a gut instinct."

 _Gut instinct, my ass. He's hiding something from us again._

Even after all this time, he kept his secrets and he kept them close. It was unbelievably selfish of me to want him to share with me everything that goes through his mind, but I had been with this man for almost six years. He had to help raise me, he had to care for me the rare times I got sick, and he had the misfortune of helping me go through puberty and womanly problems the day I turned fourteen. I was _hurt_ that he still didn't trust me completely.

I struggled to keep my anger in check, but some of it leaked into my voice. "When do I leave then?"

Blue eyes opened. They didn't give any hint whether or not he noticed my anger or not. His eyes remained cool and blank. "After you shower and change."

 _Is he trying to tell us that we stink?!_

My eye twitched. The _barest_ movement from his lips told me he purposefully said what he did. I sneered at him and stood to my feet, brushing myself down and trying to pick up what little dignity he didn't shred to pieces. "Fine. I'll head out in about twenty minutes."

He arched a mocking eyebrow and sarcastically said, "You're not going to take an hour to do your daily grooming?"

Flushing, I took his bait and replied heatedly, "There is nothing wrong with looking presentable even if my only company is a crotchety old geezer who I swear is asexual." I skipped away from his stick of terror as he took a swing at me, feeling the breeze across my arm as I narrowly dodged it. This was better. This felt just like how our relationship was supposed to be. It was safer for both of us to mock each other and not dig too deeply into the other's business no matter how much we wanted to.

"Hurry up and get going," He said gruffly, turning his chair away from me so that he could instead stare out of the window. The sunlight rested on him then, the light rays highlighting the streaks of grey that were taking over his blond locks. His hair was getting long; the longest strand reached his chin. He'll probably ask me to cut it for him soon. I watched his face relax, the wrinkles around his eyes and mouth settling in more and giving him a more older appearance. He looked so _tired_ and exhausted that a small part of me was ashamed for not noticing how tired Nao was. I lived with the man, but I was still so ignorant.

"Nao," I whispered, unsure suddenly. I wandered if he would answer my question this time. I had asked him hundreds of times before, but he always gave me hints and was vague. I don't know why I was obsessed with knowing, but for some reason, I wanted to _know._ He hummed, not turning around. I swallowed heavily. "How old are you?"

The man paused. I waited with bated breath. His shoulders heaved in a sigh and he rubbed a hand down his face. I stood there for another minute and when he didn't make any attempt to speak, I frowned in disappointment and turned to go take my shower. His voice was so soft that I almost missed it, but I stopped by my bedroom door when I heard him.

"I'm turning fifty-two this year."

Biting my lip, I quietly shut my door behind me, leaving Nao to himself in the living room.

The man was still young, but already I felt like he was bearing the weight of the world with all of his secrets. I liked to think that his load was eased just the slightest after this.

 **.X.**

If there was one thing that I hated about the people of this town, it's that they were merciless when it came to putting themselves in someone else's business and then spreading that business around like it was their business to begin with. It was like they were talking about the weather. They were so casual about it and the words seemed to flow from their lips so casually like they were reading from a well-rehearsed script.

I had to resist the urge to scowl at the poor boy who was manning the vendor before me by himself. It was obvious this was one of his first times doing it by himself because he wasn't making any effort to sell his wares with good-natured and promising words and he was trying so hard not to start crying at the no doubt angry look that was on my face. He was a tiny thing, probably just hitting double digits, but not quite being a teen yet. He was in that awkward stage of being lanky and growing muscles. His hair was an ordinary brown and his eyes were wide and blue and so very expressing as he struggled to contain the trembling of his bottom lip.

 _Poor kid. He doesn't deserve to be the brunt of my anger right now._

The women behind me were having the time of their lives, talking excitedly and chirping in high-pitched face voices that grated on my ears. They were completely ignorant to the irritated waves that were directed at them. Both were adults who seemed to be in their early thirties, probably mothers at this point in their life, but they sounded like teenagers who were eyeballing an attractive boy like he was a piece of meat. They were both in attractive sun dresses to match the warm, balmy weather that came with living by the ocean and had white sun hats shading their heads.

Despite my vehement protests, Nao forced me into a pair of black biker shorts and a flattering white blouse that did wonders in keeping me ventilated. The bastard wouldn't even let me go barefoot. He threw a pair of black flats at me that I didn't know he even had. The outfit was truly a gift from God in the sense that it was casual and not too open for my style, but that wasn't where my protests were mainly centered around. Oh no, I was angry that he made me put a wig on.

 _"Your hair is too pink and too noticeable!" He had hissed as I struggled beneath him as he sat on me. "The people there would recognize you in a heartbeat! You were the only kid there who had such an obnoxious hair color—" I had squawked at that part, "_ _—and you've been missing for six years! You'll draw attention to yourself if you walk in like that! Now put the God damn thing on!"_

The color, at least, was black and thankfully didn't clash with my still pale skin and green eyes. If anything, Nao had said it made me look exotic. It was of a decently long length, just short of where my real hair fell to my mid-back. It had bangs that were styled to the side and the ends just barely grazed the tips of my eyelashes. I stood out because of my eyes, but I still looked like a resident. Black hair wasn't common like brown or blond was, but there were plenty of people here who had black hair, so I wouldn't be drawing _too much_ attention to myself.

"Um, Miss?" I jolted out of my thoughts, blinking slowly at the nervous boy before me. He was blushing darkly and fiddling with his fingers, blue eyes averted. "C-Can I help you find something? You've been standing here for awhile..."

Getting the hint, I quickly evaluated what he had. Mainly little trinkets and what looked to be hand-made jewelry. The latter was very well-done. He'd be very good in this art when he was older and grew into his body more. Picking up a simple necklace that had a silver chain and a green emerald that was shaped like a heart, I handed him the necessary amount and went on my way, laughing quietly when I heard him breath a sigh of relief as I left.

 _Poor kid sure was intimidated by us._

I smiled fondly at that. Mother told me once that I could be scary when I was angry. She always laughed and told me that I got it from her. Father had a little to no temper and Mother's was like a volcano, simmering beneath the surface just waiting to explode out. I learned from the best.

"Did you hear that Mizuha is with child?"

"Really?! Who's the father?"

"Poor girl doesn't even know." Her voice was laced with such face sadness that my stomach rolled unpleasantly. I didn't like these women.

"Such a shame. How are her parents taking it?"

"I don't think they even know! Satoko told me—" I quickly turned on my heel to leave the ladies to their chatter. Information like that wasn't what I was looking for and I would forget about it by the end of the day.

Little had changed about the town in the six years I had been gone. Same dirt roads and white-washed houses that were still so close together and offering no space in between. It seemed that this town wasn't up for change, which wasn't very surprising. A lot of the residents were of an older generation and didn't like the new advanced technology that the bigger cities were taking advantage of. It was a shame. I felt like the younger generations were missing out on such experiences.

Glancing around, I discreetly tried to look around for any groups that could possibly have the information that Nao wanted without looking too suspicious. Many people here were just shopping for the things they needed and then wasting no time in leaving. The few groups that I did see were of teenagers and mothers whom I knew would provide me with useless information.

 _This isn't leading me anywhere. I feel like I'm just wasting time here at this point._

I bit my lip. I couldn't go back empty-handed. Nao probably wouldn't care, but I know he'd be slightly disappointed if I didn't find something useful for him. There had to be someplace around here that could give me some hints.

A thought hit me and I paused in my steps.

 _The tavern._

I set off at a faster pace towards the outskirts of town, to the places where I knew were more suspicious than anything else in this area. It wasn't necessarily a red light district considering that we were such a small community, but I knew the locals here didn't wander around in that area since all the drunks and dealers like to haunt the tavern and the surrounding unlucky houses.

It definitely wasn't the most safest of places, but if anyone could give me the information that I was looking for, it would be the local drunks and the bartenders who tended to them. Father once told me that bartenders knew everything about the town gossip since drunks didn't really have a filter once they were too far gone. "They're like shrinks," He had said.

After walking to the edge of town, I made an immediate left at the sign that greeted travelers, waving hello and smiling silently at people who greeted me with friendly grins before they continued on their way to the mountain passes. I knew that I was getting super close when the smell of rancid smoke filled the air. I coughed into my air, grimacing at nothing and continuing forward. Soon enough, the tavern appeared after I made a final turn.

It was nothing special, the wooden structure completely run-down and dilapidated. Hard to believe that it was still in working condition since the last owners had run it into the ground before high-tailing out of dodge before the authorities could get them. Smoke spewed from the chimney like a person chain-smoking through one of their cigarettes, filling the air with inky blackness that seemed to block the blue of the sky from touching the building.

 _I don't think that would make this place anymore appealing, anyway._

Silently agreeing, I opened the door to the tavern. I had to resist the urge to scrunch up my nose at the vile smell from within. Tobacco smoke literally sat in the air and didn't dissipate even when the door was opened. I felt extremely suffocated. I took one last filtered breath before stepping in, taking sparse breaths. Some eyes instantly landed on me and didn't leave my form as I crossed the floor to the bar. I ignored the cat calls from the more lecherous ones that sat in the corners.

 _Maybe this outfit wasn't the best thing to wear to a bar._

My heart constricted with slight fear. I pushed it away. It was the middle of the day. Broad daylight. These people wouldn't dare try anything this early in the day. I gulped when one man sneered and obviously licked his lips at me when he caught my eyes. I hoped, at least.

 _You were trained by a damn pirate. You could beat their asses into the ground if they so much as touched you wrongly. Suck it up, buttercup._

Sliding into the barstool as gracefully as I could, I smiled sweetly at the man who had come to stand before me with a notepad in his hand. He looked extremely bored and didn't make any physical twitch that indicated he was moved. I was thankful for it.

"What can I get you?" He drawled slowly, droopy eyes not leaving mine. His lips seemed to be set in a permanent straight line, like he was trying too hard not to smile.

"Sake, please. Can you get me a whole bottle?"

He arched an eyebrow in slight disbelief, but didn't seem too surprised. "A full bottle or a regular-sized one?" He asked.

"Just a regular," I said, still smiling at him. "I still have things to do today. Don't want to be too wasted."

His eyes seemed to laugh at that, but he kept his face straight as he wrote on his pad before leaving to grab my drink.

I knew it was very much frowned upon for minors to be drinking here. It was irresponsible and spoke of bad parenting. My parents themselves never really drank since they weren't drinkers to begin with, but that didn't mean Nao wasn't. I don't know where he got all the sake that he has, but the man always took a shot or two before bed every single night. I couldn't recall a time when he didn't take his nightly drink. He seemed to find it blasphemous to miss the ritual. On more than one occasion, he had asked me to join him. I was against drinking and I had told him so. I asked him why he would even ask me since I was still young.

"Age is just a thing to me. Sometimes you just need a release for one second," He would say. "It's not an attempt to get drunk. Far from it. It's more for the fact that the burn it causes makes me forget about everything that's happened. It's a relief."

I could never deny him after he said that. Part of me was angry at first for agreeing to drink with him, but after that first night I could sympathize why he does it. I didn't join him every night as I didn't want to become addicted to it, but it was often enough that he left a cup out for me even after he went to bed just in case I woke up and needed one last shot for the night.

 _Mother would never approve, but Father would understand completely._

Thanking the bartender as he set my drink in front of me, I took the flat sake cup and filled it with only a little bit of the white alcohol. I was kind of surprised that he hadn't carded me before giving me the drink. I knew he would get in trouble if the police ever found out he easily gave a minor alcohol. Taking a sip, I tuned into the people around me.

"Karura hasn't been doing well lately and—"

"Tha' guy has been meanbuggin' ya for a while now. Looks like he's tryin' to pick a fight."

"Don't be stupid. Looks too young for ya."

"—and someone's been attacking ships lately." I latched onto the voice instantly, turning in my seat a bit to see who was talking. Three burly men sat at table that looked to be way too small for their, but they were hardly bothered by it. They nursed their mugs in meaty hands, scowling.

"That's the third time in the past two months," One sighed, rubbing his sweaty forehead. He looked to be the nicer of the three.

"I've lost one of my best ships and one of the best crews I could've ever found here," The larger one growled. He definitely looked to be the meanest. The third man didn't say anything, merely nodding absentmindedly and sipping his drink.

"Have you heard any news back yet?" Nice Guy asked.

Mean One angrily shook his head and downed his drink. He looked very put-out at the news, which was very understandable. "Not a damn thing. Don't even have a good description of who attacked the crew."

I scowled at that and quickly took a swig to hide it. I poured myself another shot slowly. That wasn't very helpful to me in the least. Nao probably already knew this and wouldn't want to hear the same thing repeated to him through me.

It was surprising that the police didn't have any leads, but at the same time, it really _wasn't._ To get by as a pirate, you couldn't be reckless. Every move had to be planned and had to have a _reason._ Without such motivation, you're setting yourself up for a fool's trap. You were putting yourself and your crew in so much danger. And if you were caught, there was no hesitation. You'd be dead. End of story.

Nothing was said between the two men for the longest amount of time as they took periodic drinks together. I was upset that they didn't have anything more worthwhile to say. So far, they were my only leads and nothing could be used. Shifting back around to get ready to leave, I shook my bottle and sheepishly realized that it was still half-full, if not more. Maybe Nao would like to have an extra bottle. I placed the proper amount, plus a tip, and stood to leave with my bottle in hand. The Mean One's voice stopped me.

His voice was so low, so quiet, I struggled to hear him. "The only thing I know is that the ship that attacked mine left pieces of its sails behind," He murmured.

"Sails?" Nice Guy asked curiously.

"Black sails."

 _THERE._

I spun on my heel, ready to speed walk out of this dump before I rammed straight into a body. Gasping, I flailed around, the sake bottle flying from my hand, trying to grasp anything as my feet swept from beneath me and the ground quickly approached. I squeezed my eyes shut. Hands suddenly wrapped around my waist and wrist, stopping my descent and keeping me suspended easily. The hands were very warm, like the person had a fever. The sound of glass shattering sounded. The tavern went dead silent. Heart in my throat, I opened my eyes slowly.

Black eyes bore into mine. I blinked. He blinked slower. I dully noted that his eyelashes were very long and defined and the girly side of me burned in envy. Raven black bangs caressed my cheeks gently, creating a curtain between us and the drunks around. He was pale, so very pale, but not an unhealthy pale. He looked noble almost, with defined cheekbones and a sharp chin. A musky scent wafted up my nose and I blushed heatedly when I realized that it was coming from him. He carefully righted us both, releasing me slowly. He took a step back as I scrambled backwards rather ungracefully.

"Forgive me," He said quietly, his voice so _deliciously pleasing_ to my ears. He didn't say anything after that and he didn't need to. I bowed my head, staring at his feet. The tips of a perfectly tailored black pair of pants covered the tops of his black shoes, the pair looking very expensive and shining pristinely.

 _Who knew shoes could shine so beautifully._

"N-No, please," I stuttered stupidly, beating myself mentally, "I should've been more careful. I'm sorry." Another pair of feet joined his. They wore the same thing as the first man, though their shoes were brown instead of black.

"We need to get going," An even smoother voice interjected lowly, the velvety timber empty of any emotions, though I could detect just the slightest hint of annoyance. I repressed a shiver. God, what was going on with me? "We're going to be late." The way he pitched it made me think he almost thought it was a crime to be late.

I glanced up in time to see a head full of beautiful blood red hair lead the way through the crowd with the black-haired man leisurely walking behind him, long legs easily keeping up with the redhead who looked to be in a hurry. A creak of the door echoed in the room and without even a single word, both were gone like they were never even here.

 **. . .**

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 **.**

 _"Everything has a beginning and an end. There's no such thing as_ eternal _or_ forever-lasting _no matter what my foolish partner might say. I've made it my personal goal in life to make sure that every being who's ending is nearing will go out with_ bang. _Including you, New Girl._ _"_

 _"How very presumptuous of you to think that you can make my life more of a bang than it already is. I can assure you,_ Blondie, _that my life doesn't need to go out with a bang like you think it does."_

 **.**

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 **AND DONE!**

 **I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Like always, I had fun writing it. It was a great relief to step away from school for a little bit to indulge myself in this little habit.**

 **CHAPTER COMPLETED! Thank you to Guest, LittleFoxDemon, Miku007, Guest, and Hana-Taisho! YOU GUYS ARE THE REAL MVP'S.**

 **To** Guest:

Thank you very much! I hope you continue to enjoy this story!

 **To** Guest:

I can see where your statement comes from. I know exactly what story you're talking about because that story is my inspiration for creating this story. I can assure you, however, that this story is NOT the same as that other story that you are talking about. The characters are NOT the same, the setting is NOT the same, and the development is NOT the same. The only thing that can probably be compared to that fantastic story is the fact that I call the Gem a Bijuu Gem. That is the only similarity. I'm taking this story on a different route than the amazing author who wrote that story did. I would never copy another's story like that. I wouldn't deserve to be called a writer if I ever did that and I would sooner jump off a cliff before even doing something so despicable.

 **To** LittleFoxDemon:

Nao is actually going to be a bit of a surprise! He is an OC, but he doesn't play a major role in this story. I've toyed with the idea of making him a major character from the Anime, but then I thought against it. It didn't feel right to me and I couldn't fit such a role into the plot.

I'm so glad I'm not rushing this for you! I was notorious for rushing scenes when I was younger, but after reading all of the amazing stories on FF, it opened my eyes to new ways of writing. I'm very grateful for those authors for sharing their work. *Hearts*

 **To** Miku007:

I feel terrible for being unable to post more often. I hate making people wait so long. *Sad face* The house scene will ALWAYS give me chills and I'm the one who wrote it. *Shivers*

Nao's gonna be kept a secret. :) I have a place for him in future chapters, but not as a major character, which kind of makes me sad because I'm starting to really enjoy writing his and Sakura's scenes together.

MAYBE?! They could be or they could not be. The world may never know. :)

 **To** Hana-Taisho:

You don't have to apologize! I'm grateful you take the time to review! I work, too. *Pouts* I wish I wasn't so poor.

THAT information will actually never be fully elaborated on since Nao is a stubborn ass, but hints will always be dropped whenever that topic is brought up. One such hint was given back in the last chapter actually if I'm not wrong! I'm pretty sure I included it in the final draft.

I AM LITERALLY SO EXCITED FOR SAKURA'S PARENTS, OH MY GOD. HDNGAJSNG;AUBFG;ABASF! I SERIOUSLY HOPE TO BLOW THE PANTS OFF EVERYONE.

Anyway.

I hope to update more often than I have been! It may not be consistent, but I don't want to disappear for as long as I did! Midterms are next week and Spring Break is right around the corner, so that's more time to myself. My vacation was cancelled last minute, so I have over a week off from work. HNNNNNNGGGGGG. *Fist pumps* SCORE.

 **Thank you everyone for reading! I hope you all have a good day/night! Ciao!**

 **-OQ**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, everyone!**

 **Welcome back to another installment to AtC! I hope last chapter wasn't too much of a surprise or disappointment for anyone. I HAD SO MUCH FUN WITH THE LAST PART, OH MY GOD. I LOVE WRITING ITACHI AND SASORI. *Hearts***

 **Fangirling aside.**

 **I hope everyone likes this new chapter! Please enjoy~!**

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 _"Imperfection is Beauty: Madness is genius. And it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring." -_ Marilyn Monroe

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 **. . .**

I grunted in slight pain as I yanked my hair out of the bun I had messily thrown it into this morning. Loose hairs were still attached to the band and I idly plucked them off. God, it better not be shedding season already. I wasn't ready to start lint-rolling all of my clothes because of loose pink strands of hair.

 _Why_ did I have to have such thick hair? I frowned and pulled on a strand, holding up to my face critically. Maybe I should consider trimming it again. It's starting to get a bit too long for my tastes.

I was happy to be out of my street clothes as I walked back out of my room clad in a black t-shirt and pants that cinched at my ankles. I hadn't showered yet, so there was still dust and dirt and the faint smell of alcohol that clung to me, but it didn't bother me terribly. Yet. But that was honestly the only thing that I was pleased about right now. The rest of me was boiling mad as I roughly plopped myself down into a chair at the table in the dining room with Nao, who was lounging comfortably and going through a bottle of Whiskey like it was water.

There was no light inside the house except for the burning fire that roared to my left and the moon beams that would sometimes creep through the window in the kitchen. Night had managed to creep up on me and I was beyond livid with myself that I had let myself waste a whole day after the tavern incident.

On my other side, Nao downed another shot. He had started drinking when I had first walked in and I think that made his seventh one if I was guessing correctly. The man was really going all out tonight, it seemed. My fingers started tapping against the table lightly, barely making any noise as my thoughts wandered back to the beginning of the day. All I could feel was _annoyance_ and _irritation_ and it soured the rest of my okay mood completely.

The crackling sound of wood burning at my side irritated me like no other today, which was weird because I normally enjoyed sitting by the fire soaking up its warmth and pondering things. I had never felt such irritation in my entire life. I've never even been this irritated with Nao when the old codger would poke and prod at me in that annoying way of his. Every inch of me was coiled and tense as I glared at nothing, mind working furiously over the possible things that could be bothering me after that stupid errand Nao sent me on. I scowled. It was all that idiot's fault.

Calling him an idiot made me feel just a tiny bit better, but my irritation outweighed that former feeling by a landslide. I just somehow _knew_ that he wasn't an idiot. He had a pretty face, but he exuded something that ruled him out as a brainless moron like all the other moderately attractive males in the village. I couldn't even begin to describe what that something was, though. I struggled to find good words that accurately depicted him without feeling like said words weren't what could be used to describe him.

I had to resist the strong urge to heave a sigh. I settled for scowling more at the wall. I wanted to slam my head against the table. Maybe to the point of giving myself a concussion so that I could forget his face. I couldn't get his eyes out of my head.

 _They had been so black and beautiful and fathomless and_ _—_

SHUT. UP.

Even my own damn mind is betraying me.

 _Your mind wasn't on your side to begin with, sweetheart._

I was a teenage girl. I understood and accepted that fully, but _seriously._ I've been living with a grumpy old codger for most of the beginning stages of puberty and have been preoccupied with training and getting my ass handed to me that was almost four times my age. Boys were the _last_ thing on my mind right now, but that _stupid man refuses to be forgotten and it is annoying the piss out of me._

 _He was a fine specimen of a man, too, if I might add fuel to the fire._

My fingers tapped quicker and louder against the table top, my foot tapping along to another beat entirely. My eye twitched. Beside me, Nao shook slightly. My finger got one more tap in before my hand was slammed palm down onto the table rather painfully. Hissing, I yanked my hand from under Nao's and glared at him. Blue eyes were narrowed at me in heavy irritation, the blue looking so stormy and angry and lethal and not at all clouded by all of the alcohol he had been consuming. He hardly even looked buzzed.

"Stop. _tapping,_ " He snarled, bringing his hand back to his lap. "Rolling over whatever is on your mind needs to stop or spit it out." I was half-tempted to tap my finger one more time just to spite him because I was feeling that petty today. "Tap one more time and I'll break all of your fingers. And I won't let you splint any of them." Gritting my teeth, I clenched my hands in my pants. My foot itched to move.

"I'm angry that we hardly have any information even after I went through all the trouble of causing a scene in a _bar_ ," I grit out, glaring at the wooden table. Maybe if it'd magically set fire, I'd feel better. It didn't burst on fire. It made my annoyance burn more. "And that stupid man's eyes keep popping back up. It's _annoying._ " Nao seemed to freeze in place for a split second before he relaxed. I arched an eyebrow at him. Blue eyes were unreadable as they stared into mine. Clearly he wasn't going to share with the class. "What?"

He shook his head slowly. "Nothing." Clearly it was bothering him, but I knew he wouldn't share what he had been thinking. Stupid man. He leaned back more in his chair, shifting in place for a more comfortable position. "Tell me _one more time_ what happened."

That makes it the third time he's asked me to repeat my little adventure to town.

"I _told_ you, I went to the tavern because I thought I could find what you were looking for there and there were three men that were having misfortune out at sea and were complaining about a ship with black sails." I thought that part was slightly unbelievable now that I actually thought about it. What ship had _black_ sails? No sane pirate crew out there would have such recognizable sails. That was like painting a target on your ass, turning your back to a group of trained archers, and screaming at the top of your lungs, "HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT." It was ridiculous.

 _Don't be so ignorant. You know what ship has black sails. It was the main ship you always loved to hear about as you were growing up._

My stomach dropped, but I studiously ignored the bad thought. There was no way that ship existed. There had to be another ship that had black sails.

"I was leaving when I ran into some guy who got in my way and who also saved me from a nasty concussion and headache later on. He apologized and then left with another guy without a by your leave. He didn't even pay for the cheap sake he caused me to drop." I grumbled that last part. After the two had left, I had been thoroughly irritated to find that my bottle of sake had been destroyed and I wasn't able to get another one cause the bouncer finally realized I wasn't over twenty-one and _escorted_ me out.

 _More like he threw you out the door like that night's leftover trash._

Rude ass. He didn't have to throw me out like he did. Thank the Gods above I didn't embarrass myself by falling face first to the ground.

"Black sails," Nao murmured, face thoughtful. Grabbing his shot glass and chugging the contents down in one gulp, he said, "It isn't enough."

"What do you mean?"

He glanced at me. "A crew having black sails isn't common, but not uncommon. I have heard of a few brave fools who used black sails to gain a name for themselves."

Those crews probably weren't around long enough to gain much fame, though. I know some other countries weren't very tolerant of pirates and hunted them down like they were pigs to a slaughter. I ignored the shiver that went straight down my spine. I knew Earth and Mist weren't very fond of the outlaws who had defected from their countries, though I felt like Cloud was the main culprit for a lot of pirates deaths. Father used to say that the man was as ruthless as a pirate when it came to ruling his country. I hadn't heard much about Fire or Sand, but I assumed they were pretty much the same, if not a bit more lenient than the other countries.

 _I have to wonder, though...what could compel someone to abandon their home for the life of an outlaw?_

"There are many reasons for it, Sakura." Startled, I focused back on Nao, who wasn't looking at me and instead found the fire more entrancing. My ears burned when I realized I had said my thoughts out loud.

"What kind of reasons?"

Blue eyes cut to me sharply, but they weren't mean or angry. "That's a very loaded and personal question for you to ask a former pirate. I know I've told you that before."

Feeling chastised, I hunched my shoulders and shrank into my seat. Nao always refused to tell me what it was like living as a pirate. Sometimes his eyes would burn brighter with a light that made his face seem twenty years younger and he would give an almost smile before smothering it with a scowl when he noticed me watching him. Other times, though...he looked so _haunted._ Like he had seen things he wished he could erase from his memory forever, but was unable to get the memories to vanish properly, like they lingered just there in the back of his mind, waiting for the opportunity to present itself.

 _As a pirate, he probably_ has _seen some traumatizing things. Choose your next words carefully._

I spoke slowly, gathering my thoughts and choosing each word with a delicacy that was unlike me, "What caused you to leave?"

Sharp blue eyes mellowed out softly. For the first time since I'd met Nao, he couldn't seem to look me in the eyes as he spoke. "I thought I knew. Looking back now, I realize that it almost feels petty for why I had left." I didn't take my eyes off of him, almost holding my breath. I was afraid that if I so much as breathed too loudly, he would clam up and send me away with his usual scowl. He sighed when he saw my expectant look. "It was a mission gone wrong and I ended up leaving without learning the full story. I'll admit that I had overreacted a tiny bit at the time." He gave me a very stern look. "That's all I'm going to tell you, so don't bother digging for anymore details."

Admittedly, I was disappointed by the vague details he was purposefully giving me, but I knew I couldn't push him. I couldn't ask more from him than he was willing to give. Nao must have been a mule at one point in his past life cause he was about as stubborn as one.

 _He's looking for something specific, but until he tells me, I can't really_ help _him, regardless of the fact that he probably doesn't want my help. He's way too prideful admit that he needs help. Stupid crotchety old geezer._

Feeling compelled, I looked over to the chest that held my precious, but most hated, book. The chest was harmless in all the aspects of what an inanimate object was. It was a wooden, golden-brown chest with intricate vine-like designs that seemed to have no beginning and no ending. It was all inter-connected so intimately that if one stared too long, the swirls and loops would begin to look like they were all one big endless vine. There was a silver lock that kept the chest from being easily opened.

"Have you read that book yet, Nao?" I found myself asking.

He only spared the chest an unreadable expression before taking another sip of his drink. "No. I've never once opened it since I'd first gotten it from Water Country."

 _He's been all the way out there before?_

Water Country was clear on the other side of Fire Country, making the journey nothing really to sneeze at. I knew traveling by ship took weeks out at sea to even skirt around the huge mass of Fire Country. Add on stopping at ports for more supplies at least once or twice a week and the trip would extend to at least a month. And weather factors played an even bigger part since the weather controlled the sea's waves and the winds that could either push a ship faster or slow it down considerably.

 _I wonder how far he's gone during his time as a pirate._

Standing and brushing down my clothes, I walked towards the chest and crouched down before it. Nao's eyes burned into me, but he didn't say a word as I entered the lock's combination and heaved open the lid. The chest had multiple documents in it that only made sense to Nao, whom I had come to learn was a hoarder when it came to paperwork. There were some small account books scattered within, too, but after pushing everything aside carefully, I found the book at the very bottom of the chest. I pulled it out.

It looked as pristine as it did all those years ago when Nao first gave it to me even with all the smudges on it from me falling to the ground with it in my arms. It seemed almost like it was mocking us, though I couldn't decide in what sense.

"I don't know why you're sitting so close to me with that," Nao said disapprovingly, glaring at the book as I sat down next to him. "I'm not interested in reading information about the Gem that I already know."

"You don't even know what's in this book," I retorted, rolling my eyes and getting comfortable in my chair. I felt like this was going to be more than just a light read or me just skimming through the pages. "You said so yourself that you've never opened it."

"It's about the Bijuu Gem, Sakura," He said, voice heavy with sarcasm. "There's not much information about it and I can bet that this thing doesn't have anything new. It's probably just another History lesson and speculations."

"We won't know until we open it." He shook his head with a grumble and reclined more into his chair. At least he was going to indulge me this time.

The first couple pages was, not very surprisingly, introduction pages and just a bunch of people that the book was dedicated towards. Hardly information that I cared about right now, but I at least took the initiative to skim through the names out of respect. They were put there for a reason. It'd only be right to at least acknowledge them. Nao would disagree, but he was an asshole, anyway. He didn't care what other people seemed to say about him. Or rather, what I had to say about him. He'd just make me run till sun down if I said something too biting and mean.

I turned another page of recognizing people and paid a bit more attention to the picture that was portrayed. I had never seen the Bijuu Gem before in any of the books or illustrations that I'd read. I had no idea what it could possibly even look like, but I knew, without a doubt, that this was the Gem.

It was all black and white, but the lines were sharp and purposeful as they cut the edges of the Gem, giving it definition and shape. I wasn't sure what kind of mineral or stone it was, but it was sort of round-shaped, though it wasn't perfectly round. It was shadowed perfectly, like the person who wrote this book was looking at the Gem as they were drawing this. It felt like I could just reach down and grab the Gem from the pages because of how realistic looking it was. I vaguely wondered what color it was.

"It's supposedly red," Nao grumbled. I looked up at him. He was glaring at the Gem with no real venom. "I'd heard many different colors before, but red was the most dominant one." He looked thoughtful. "Yellow was another common color, but it wasn't as accepted as red was."

"Why, wasn't manly enough?" I sassed, instantly regretting my words as Nao's hand snapped out and hit the back of my head sharply. I rubbed the sore area tenderly, knowing that I sort of deserved it. If there was one thing Nao didn't like, it was jabs about being manly in any general situation. I had received many hits to the head the first couple years that I was living with him because I couldn't keep my mouth shut of such jabs. I know better now, but sometimes it slips out.

The next few pages were, just like Nao had said, purely information about the Gem. It was still interesting enough to read considering I had little knowledge on it.

 _"The Bijuu Gem is supposedly the power source of all of the nine Bijuu currently in existence. Rumor has it that the Gem was forged from the raging infernos common in Fire Country by a mysterious figure with strange powers. Witnesses say it was almost magical to watch the fire forge together to form the Gem into a physical entity. It has the power to control all of the Bijuu. All but one."_

"All but one?" I repeated, confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Nao shrugged carelessly. "There must be one Bijuu that the Gem has little control over." He tilted his head. "Personally, my guess would be the Kitsune."

The Kitsune. The Nine-Tailed Fox. It was supposed to be the strongest out of all the nine in existence. I'd heard more stories about the Nine-Tails than I had any other Bijuu. It was terrifyingly strong. Not even the Eight-Tails would be able to defeat the Kitsune and there was only a one tail difference between the two.

It was still strange, though. "I wonder why the Kitsune is the sole exception." Nao never graced me with an answer to that question, not that I really expected him to anyway. As I continued turning pages, maps showing the Gem's supposed journey throughout history graced my eyes. It didn't escape my notice that it seemed to favor returning to Fire Country frequently, though that was nothing compared to the lines that led into Lightning and Earth Country.

"Earth and Lightning are fanatics when it comes to the Gem," Nao groused. He traced one of the paths that led into Lightning. "They've been searching for the stupid thing for as far back as I can remember. I had more than one run-in with mercenaries and treasure hunters from those two countries during my travels when I was younger."

"Don't both countries have Bijuus of their own?"

"They have two each, if I'm not mistaken. I know Fire and Sand have one and Water has two. I don't know about the last one. That one probably came from a smaller village I've never heard of."

My finger absently traced the journey lines between Earth and Lightning. "Were they trying to control them with the Gem?"

"I wasn't alive during that time, Sakura," He chided snidely. I glared at him, but he ignored me. "I don't know what their intentions were and frankly, I could care less. It's in the past. People change."

A thought suddenly occurred to me. "Have _you_ ever met one of the Jinchuriki before, Nao?"

His face blanked immediately. His hand began circling the rim of his cup. "Twice, both times being incredibly hostile confrontations."

I could only imagine what he did to offend them. Probably said something about their height, the rude tall bastard. "What did you do to make them angry?"

He snorted and sipped his drink. "I like how you instantly assume it was my fault that they were angry." I gave him a very unamused look. He waved it away. "For once, it actually wasn't my fault." Here, his voice seemed to lower and he looked almost _upset._ "Do you know what their lifestyle is like, Sakura?"

I shook my head.

"Be grateful that you don't," He warned. "The Jinchuriki don't live a life of peace and luxury and glory. Every single one has had a Hell of a life and you'd do well to take that into consideration should you ever meet one."

I felt like he was lecturing me like a parent right now. My heart warmed at the thought that he was unconsciously taking on the role of being a parent for me, but at the same time, I felt cold at his words. Were the Jinchuriki really that unpopular?

 _If anyone can handle being a vessel to an all powerful entity that could probably wipe out the human population in a day, then surely that's something to be appreciative of? I know they have my respect until the end of time._

I eased into a different topic that hopefully wouldn't set Nao off into a frenzy. "Which Jinchuriki did you meet if you don't mind me asking?"

He heaved a sigh, rubbing his forehead. He seemed to be concentrating on the memory. "I know one was the Three-Tails. Yagura, if memory serves correctly. I ran across him back in Water Country some odd years ago and he wasn't the friendliest man ever, either."

I shouldn't be surprised, but my mouth still dropped as he spoke. Yagura? As in the Mizukage of Village Hidden in the Mist? _That_ Yagura? "You actually fought against the Mizukage?!"

Nao cringed at the pitch in my voice and I quickly apologized, repeating my question in a more normal tone. "I didn't _fight_ against Yagura. More like he threatened us with death if we didn't leave the Country after he killed some of my best men for snooping around in the wrong place."

 _He's being vague on purpose and it's pissing me right the fuck off._

"What about the other one?" I grumbled, crossing my arms in a pout.

"Stop pouting," He snapped with no real bite. "I don't remember the name of the other one. I know that she came from the Hidden Cloud village, but that's about it. She had a real temper on her, though. She kind of reminds me of you now that I think of it. Always angry, hates the world, never smiles."

I took great offense to the last one. "I don't hate the world and I do too smile!" I hissed at him, narrowing my eyes at him. "I just don't do it for you!"

"Good thing, too. The world might end if you actually do smile at me." He dodged the fork I threw at him. I ignored the rest of the history of the Gem, preferring to read it later, and skipped to the back of the book, hoping to find more recent information.

 _"As time continued and the Bijuu Gem became forgotten, many pirate crews have wasted their lives trying to find the Gem after it disappeared. There have been many infamous groups that have tried hunting down the Gem, though none of which can compare to that of the Akatsuki."_

 _Well would you look at that. There's your confirmation, darling. Your favorite pirate crew in existence_ does _exist._

My heart beat increased at the name. I knew that name very well. "The Akatsuki?" Nao stiffened at the name. "You know them?"

His lip curled and he actually glared heatedly at the book as if it had insulted him. "Any pirate crew who _hasn't_ heard of them are _fools._ They are a notorious lot. They've been searching for that thing almost as long as Lightning and Earth have been. They go back many generations, though it isn't entirely run by one family."

"But who are they?" I wasn't ashamed to admit that I was digging for information. Nao was a former pirate, so he could provide me with more insightful information than _rumors_ ever could. I took full advantage of that fact.

"They're a band of rogues who've all joined together to find the Gem, though I don't know how loyal they will be to each other if they do find the stupid thing. Every single one of them come from a different Country and have defected from said Country to be a part of the crew. Last time I heard, there were ten of them altogether."

My shock reached a new level hearing that last part. I had never knew there had been so _few._ "That's it?" I asked flabbergasted. "Just ten people? How the hell can you even run a ship with just ten people?!"

"They're a group of geniuses, Sakura. Obviously they're perfectly capable of it since they haven't been captured yet."

"Or maybe they're just really good at hiding."

 _That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. I'm ashamed you would even say that._

He scoffed at that. "Those people wouldn't hide from the authorities, Sakura. They know how strong they are and easily flaunt it in the faces of the higher officials. Really pisses them off, too." He mumbled that last part. I just barely caught it as he was mid-sip.

I repeated an earlier question. "Have you ever met them?" He faltered in answering and I locked onto the hesitation immediately. I narrowed my eyes at him. "Don't lie to me, either. That little stumble you just did gave you away."

He cursed under his breath before grumbling out, "I've only ever met one of them, but it was a very long time ago. He was a very unfriendly man and had the shortest temper I'd ever seen. He's probably dead and replaced by now, though; the bastard was old as _dirt_ last time I saw him."

"Why do you always seem to come into contact with grumpy people?" I asked sarcastically.

"I don't know, why do you never seem to stop asking pointless questions?" He snarked back, lips curling when he shook his now empty Whiskey bottle. "Damn it, it's all gone now."

"That's what you get for drinking that shit like water. You run out faster."

"This _shit_ is the finest Whiskey I've ever bought. Don't insult it."

"When it stops tasting like liquid fire burning the inside of my throat, I'll take back the insult."

Nao rolled his eyes and snorted at me. "Kids these days don't know good alcohol," He sneered, throwing the bottle in the trash and going to the fridge. Instead of going for the other bottle of Whiskey that I knew was in there, he pulled out a regular Sake bottle, grabbed another cup for me, and slouched back into his chair. I didn't realize how thirsty I was until he offered me some. "Take your shot and quit your whining."

"I'm not whining," I snapped, snatching the cup from his hands and taking a sip. The coolness soothed the itchiness that had begun to take residence in my throat, but I could definitely do without the bitter aftertaste the Sake left me with. Another page turn showed a rather intimidating picture that sent shivers down my spine. I'd never seen such scary eyes. Frowning, I flipped another page and was met with a picture of a different person. The next page proved the same result, though it was this particular picture that had my blood chilling faster than I could blink. Shocked, I picked up the book and turned wide eyes at Nao.

He arched an eyebrow at me in annoyance. _"What?"_

I swallowed and turned the book to face him. His eyes zeroed in on the face that I was showing him and though he showed no expression, even I could see the way his skin paled and turned clammy. A bead of sweat suddenly rolled down his neck.

"I think this book has _bounties_ in it, Nao. Bounties for the _Akatsuki._ " I tapped a shaky finger to the picture on the left. Charcoal eyes that weren't physically there had never made me more nervous before in my entire life. "Nao, _this man was the one I ran into at the bar this afternoon._ "

They had been in town today and I had practically ran over one of them and I had somehow not died in the process.

 _Jesus Christ, we are so_ fucked.

 **. . .**

 **. .**

 **.**

 _"His will is our way. His word is our law. We follow him willingly because he has a goal that we all want to achieve. We are in this group for the sole reason that everyone benefits by being here."_

 _"That's a broken life if I've ever heard one. You can follow the will of one man all you want, but what about yourself? Don't any of you have any individuality? You may think you are being selfless, but I think it's completely_ selfish _of you all to throw your very being away just because one man asks you to."_

 **.**

 **. .**

 **. . .**

 **This was very information, so I hope nobody is disappointed at the lack of action.**

 **I feel like I finally have a rhythm when it comes to this story: it looks like updates sometime during the first week of every month. I always aim for more updates, of course, but this seems to play out a bit better.**

 **I HAVE THREE WEEKS LEFT OF MY FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE. JESUS CHRIST, I. AM. READY.**

 **I hope everyone has a good day! Ciao!**

 **-OQ**


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